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1. Why is the Stormwater Collection, Management and Pollution Control Fee necessary?

The Stormwater Collection, Management, and Pollution Control (SCMPC) Fee will aid in achieving goals shown below:

1. Provide funding for unfunded state and federal mandates of the MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) Program.

2. Fund capital improvements / operation and maintenance of aging infrastructure.

3. Provide funding to address stormwater pollution and flooding issues to protect people and property as well as safe drinking water.  

2. How do I pay my Fee?

Bills will be issued three times a year, or another regular periodic basis, not less than annually.  The fee may be billed separately.  Property owners can pay in full to receive a 2% discount if paid in the first 30 days of the calendar year.

3. What do water pollution & floods have in common?

All floods and most polluted waterways have one thing in common: stormwater runoff.  Stormwater runoff is the fastest growing type of water pollution in Pennsylvania.  When rain falls or snow melts faster than it can soak into the ground, the runoff ends up in local waterways.  When more runoff reaches those waterways than they can hold, they flood.  Stormwater runoff isn’t just muddy, it’s dirty too.  Water running off streets and parking lots carries chemical fertilizer, oil, animal waste, and trash into the waterways.

4. How will my fair share investment be calculated?

The monthly fee for a single family residential property is $9.58 per month, or $115 annually.  It is low because all properties pay, and the total is enough to make real investment that will make a difference.  The fee is based upon impervious surface area called an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU), which totals 3,300 square feet.  Non-residential customers pay per ERU, which is based on the total impervious surface area measured on the property. 

5. I don't have stormwater runoff problems on my property, do I still pay the fee?

Even if rainwater leaves your property without causing problems for you today, that runoff may cause a problem for someone else downstream or may become an issue for you in the future if nothing is done to properly manage stormwater runoff.  

6. Why is a new fee necessary to pay for this?

The primary reasons are due to increased enforcement and requirements of unfunded mandates as well as aging infrastructure.  A stormwater utility fee is the best option as it is founded on providing a service, in this case it’s the care and custody of stormwater (collection, management, and pollution control).  These stormwater expenses cannot be ignored.  Non-compliance with mandates creates a potential for heavy fines and penalties from the PA DEP and the EPA.  Flooding and pollution impact all life, including human, plants, and animals.  

7. What safeguards are in place to ensure the money will be invested as promised?

Section 2705 of the Second Class Township Code requires the SCMPC fee must be reasonable, uniform and related to the service provided, and further requires that the funds must be used strictly for the purpose of stormwater management to prevent pollution and floods.  

8. How do I reduce my fee?

The Township has a credit system that rewards property owners for taking steps set forth in the SCMPC Fee Credit Manual, including rock sumps, rain gardens, permeable pavement, infiltration basins, bed or trench, underground detention, green roofs, dry extended ponds, or stormwater treatment channels.  

9. How will the SCMPC fee help to prevent pollution and floods?

The SCMPC fee will allow the Township to fund the following types of improvements:

1. Improve current clogged, broken or corroded storm pipes to handle increased volumes of stormwater runoff; reducing pollution and floods

2. Plant trees and create other green areas for rain to fall, reducing the amount of runoff currently coming from sidewalks and streets

3. Restore heavily eroded streambanks to improve soil retention and decrease the frequency of stream flooding