Stormwater Utility Fee Proposed To Double In Response To Flooding

UPDATE: The first reading of the proposal is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 26, and second reading, public hearing and adoption could be scheduled for Feb. 20.

ALEXANDRIA, VA — On Tuesday, Alexandria City Council will have a first reading on a proposed doubling of the city's stormwater utility fee.

Under the proposed ordinance, the fee would increase in two phases. In June 2021, the fee would be raised from the current $140 per billing unit to $210. In November 2021, it would be raised to $280, effectively doubling it from the current rate. Residential customers pay the fee on a tiered scale, meaning smaller properties like condominiums and townhouses pay a fraction of the billing unit.

The proposal was brought forward by the city manager to accelerate storm sewer capacity capital improvement projects in response to severe flash flooding events. Alexandria residents experienced flash flooding during the July 8, 2019 regional flooding event as well as localized flooding on July 23, 2020 and Sept. 10, 2020.

After those flooding events, city officials noted that the city's stormwater infrastructure wasn't able to handle the rainfall produced by those storms. The city's stormwater infrastructure design standard uses a "10-year storm" producing 2.7 inches of rain in an hour or 5.3 inches over 24 hours. But there are also older areas of the city with storm sewer installed before design standard lack capacity for even a 10-year storm.

In September 2020, the city established an interdepartmental strike team flooding management task force to work on flooding-related policy, planning, and funding issues. On Nov. 16, City Council provided a guidance for the city to be "more aggressive in funding, maintaining, and constructing storm sewer capacity projects," according to a memo from City Manager Mark Jinks.

With that guidance in mind, the task force's primary recommendation was the stormwater utility fee increase. Jinks estimated the increase would generate around $14.8 million in the current calendar year.

"Immediate funding authorization would allow the City to start adding staff and resources now to urgently accelerate storm sewer capacity projects, spot improvements and system maintenance," Jinks wrote in a memo to City Council. "Given the urgency of the situation it is recommended that Council act now, so staff recruitment and project planning does not lose six months waiting for the annual budget process decision making."

The task force's other recommendations were to develop programs that incentivize flood mitigation on private property, including a city-sponsored pilot grant program and ongoing technical assistance support for residents, boost the city’s flood early warning systems, and develop an enhanced communications strategy related to flooding.

Under the plan, capital funding for capacity projects would increase to about $170 million over a decade. Residents can find more details about the capacity projects in the city manager's mem.

As reported by Alexandria Times, City Council voted to delay a final vote that was scheduled on Jan. 23. First reading of the proposed stormwater utility fee increase is now scheduled for Jan. 26, and the second reading, public hearing and final consideration are scheduled for Feb. 20.