City council is reminding business owners and residents across Windsor that a new stormwater fee structure is on the way that will result in higher fees for some and lower fees for others.
The new structure will launch in January 2025 after council first approved a plan in 2021 to implement a dedicated stormwater financing model towards a system based on impervious area on a given property.
The new structure will result in higher fees for property owners with a larger amount of impervious surfaces, such as parking lots, while residential property owners will likely see their existing fees decrease.
The city says impervious surfaces contribute to more water runoff, yet non-residential uses currently pay a smaller contribution of the overall sewer surcharge revenue compared to residential properties.
Mayor Drew Dilkens says the cost of operating these stormwater systems is expensive.
Dilkens says those who own residential properties will likely see a decrease in the amount they pay for stormwater.
"Think of a business like Home Depot or Wal-Mart where they have giant parking lots, and when it rains, there is a lot of impervious surface that then has to go into the storm system. Those businesses will pay more," he says. "They have been consulted with over the course of several years, but it is a major change."
Dilkens says it's really an equitable situation and putting more equity in the system, putting the burden on the people who are producing the stormwater.
He says there are things certain businesses can do in their construction to reduce the cost.
"It could be a different type of concrete that is not impervious. It could be catch basins and other types of traps that actually allow stormwater get to the system over a period of time as opposed to draining immediately into the system. So there are things they can do to help offset the expense to their business," says Dilkens.
The city is developing a stormwater fee credit program for non-residential properties that take steps to control and/or treat runoff from impervious areas.
Officials also hopes to develop a residential incentive program for homeowners who take measures to address stormwater issues on their properties.
The city has been meeting with with non-residential property owners, expected to experience a higher financial impact compared to current fee levels, but the city plans to host a public open house in May to further communicate the changes to the broader community.
When it takes effect, the stormwater fee will be administered to property owners through the ENWIN utility bill, and will be shown as a separate line item to provide the breakdown between sanitary sewer and stormwater sewer surcharges.
The fee will be billed monthly, similar to the current billing frequency for sanitary surcharge and electricity.