The District of Columbia Department of the Environment (DDOE) is considering a proposed increase in the stormwater fee, effective October 1, 2008. DDOE is responsible for assuring compliance with the District’s separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit, which accounts for roughly two-thirds of the city’s storm water control infrastructure. An increase in the storm water fee is needed to generate $13 million to meet increased federal requirements for controlling storm water pollution.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is stormwater? Stormwater is rainfall that does not soak into the ground, but instead flows off land and hard (impervious) surfaces and into drainage pipes, which then empty into the water bodies like Rock Creek and the Anacostia River. In urban areas like the District, much of the land is covered by streets, buildings, parking lots, driveways and other impervious surfaces. Stormwater erodes streambanks and carries trash and chemical pollutants along with it.

What is proposed in this regulation? The District of Columbia Department of the Environment (DDOE) is proposing an increase in the stormwater fee it collects to assure compliance with the District’s separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit.  An increase in the stormwater fee will generate the $13 million necessary to meet increased U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements to control the flow of pollution into the District’s streams and rivers.  The MS4 permit covers roughly two-thirds of the city’s stormwater control infrastructure.

What is the purpose of a stormwater fee? The District of Columbia stormwater fee, which appears as a line item on your monthly DC Water and Sewer Authority (DC WASA) bill, is directed to the Storm Water Permit Compliance Enterprise Fund (Enterprise Fund) to finance activities to control pollution from stormwater runoff in the District.  Activities supported by the Enterprise Fund include installation of “green” technologies (such as green roofs and rain gardens), tree planting, and street sweeping. These activities, which are required by the MS4 Permit, help clean and restore the District’s streams and rivers.

Why is an increase in the stormwater fee happening now? The District’s stormwater management responsibilities have grown since fees were last changed in 2001.  An increase in the fee is necessary because the MS4 permit was revised in 2008 to expand the District’s management activities. One of the requirements of the permit is that the District revise its fees to ensure adequate funding to meet permit obligations. The current fee levels are insufficient to meet the additional costs of these new requirements.       

When will the stormwater fee increase go into effect and who has to pay? The proposed effective date is October 1, 2008. The increased stormwater fee would apply to all residential, commercial, and other retail customers of DC WASA. The monthly single-family residential bill will increase by $1.40, while multi-family residential and other customers will see their fees increase on a percentage basis:

	Current	With Proposed Increase
Single Family -   Residential	$7 flat annual fee (or $0.58 monthly fee)	$23.76 flat annual fee (or $1.98 monthly fee)
Multi-Family	1.4% of water and sewer charges	4.4% of water and sewer charges
Others	2.0% of water and sewer charges	6.3% of water and sewer charges

Are there measures in place to assist low-income residents with water bills? Currently, there is no assistance available to help with the stormwater fee. However, low-income residents may qualify may qualify for assistance with their water bill through DC WASA’s S.P.L.A.S.H. program administered by the Greater Washington Urban League and the Customer Assistance Program administered by the DDOE Energy Office.  For more information about S.P.L.A.S.H., contact the Greater Washington Urban League at (202) 265-8200.  For more information about the Customer Assistance Program, contact the DDOE Energy Office at (202) 673-6750.

Can we expect other stormwater fee changes in the future? Both DC WASA and DDOE are examining options to modify the structure of the stormwater fees to shift from a fee based on water usage to a fee based on the amount of impervious surface on a property. This change would result in a shift of costs from properties with more green space to properties with more impervious surface. More information will be made available in early 2009. Notices will be published and public comments sought before any future rate changes.