Stormwater Maintenance Funding

SWEMA wants to provide jurisdictions with suggestions for funding the inspection and maintenance activities needed for all stormwater BMPs. A stormwater system, like any other system, needs regular maintenance in order to function as designed. Of course, there are cost associated with maintaining BMPs. SWEMA advocates, that as a condition of approving of any application for a stormwater management permit, the applicant must provide a vehicle for funding the regular inspection and routine and non-routine maintenance of the stormwater BMP. Below are some ideas for funding the maintenance for BMPs.

• Funding for BMP stormwater systems can be derived from a special stormwater tax to be levied on the property. The stormwater tax would need to cover the inspection and all estimated maintenance costs of the BMPs covered in the service area. Each year the permitting authority would require a good-faith estimate of the amount of tax required to be levied upon all taxable property within the service.
• Set up a required BMP inspection filing within the jurisdiction and charge a filing fee for each report and a fine for not filing the report.
• As a condition of approving any application for a stormwater management permit, the applicant must post a bond for the estimated inspection and maintenance costs for a minimum of one year. Upon completion of scheduled inspections and/or maintenance for the BMP, a prorated amount of the bond will be returned to the applicant.
• As a condition of approving any application for a stormwater management permit, the applicant must provide a maintenance agreement with the owner of the property and the owner will provide financial remuneration for one year of maintenance inspection and maintenance costs.

Below please find a link to a variety of documents focused on BMP maintenance funding, costs and regulatory maintenance guidance documents.  If you have a document to contribute, please submit to SWEMA for consideration.

SWEMA Maintenance Ordinance