Methods for Public Acceptance for Stormwater Utility Funding

With the implementation of a new funding source (e.g., user fee or special assessment) for stormwater management programs, a municipality imposes a new financial burden on the public; that is, individual customers have to pay a new monthly fee or annual assessment for stormwater services. Furthermore, elected officials have to vote to impose the new fee or assessment on customers, a difficult decision to make. As a result, the key to a successful stormwater utility implementation is public approval. The subject of this article is to present methods for public education and approval. While individual methods for public acceptance will be discussed, the overall theme of this article and the experience of cities and counties with adopted utilities is that the public must want the stormwater service to be provided by the new revenues before they will agree to pay for the service. The focus of the community acceptance process is therefore not the stormwater fees or assessments but rather the stormwater service the new revenue will provide. Of course, elected officials and the public at large must believe that the rate structure is fair and equitable; however, education in these areas alone will not be sufficient to obtain community acceptance. The public and their elected representatives must be convinced that the stormwater services provided by the new revenues are essential and needed to improve their quality of life, health or safety.