 Background information
The City of Easley was listed by the USEPA as a Phase
II entity in December 1999. The City of Easley was required to submit an
application for a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
Permit for storm water discharges to receiving waters. In June 2003, in anticipation
of this permit being issued and recognizing that the permit was an unfunded
mandate, the City of Easley established a storm water utility fee.
Since that time, City of Easley has been implementing
its NPDES Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit. To continue
to comply with the terms and conditions of the permit, a permanent and reliable
funding source is required by the permit. The storm water utility fee is
the stable funding source to allow continued compliance with permit requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
 What
is a storm water utility fee?
A storm water utility fee is the result of unfunded
USEPA and SCDHEC mandates on storm water discharge. This fee is used to finance
annual compliance with the NPDES permitting standards. This fee is similar
to a water or sewer fee. In essence, customers pay a fee to convey storm
water from their properties. Return
What is NPDES?
NPDES stands for National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System, which is the compliance system for the Clean Water Act.
NPDES requires that all storm water discharges that enter waters of the United
States must meet minimum federal water quality requirements. Return
Is
the storm water utility fee considered a tax?
No, the storm water utility fee is not a tax.
It is a fee generated to maintain the storm water utility system and fund
the NPDES permit compliance. It is user based and dependent on the contribution
to the storm sewer system. Return
Is
the storm water utility fee legal?
Yes, storm water utility fees are legal. Although
storm water utility fees have been challenged in the past, state and federal
courts have ruled that storm water utility fees are necessary to maintain
the public storm water system as well as represent an equitable way for the
community to share the cost of a public service. They are becoming more and
more common throughout the United States.
The City of Easley Council discussed and approved
the storm water utility fee at public council meetings. Return
What
is the ultimate goal of NPDES permitting?
The goal of NPDES permitting is to improve and
protect the quality of our nation's waterways by eliminating pollution from
storm water runoff to the maximum extent practicable. Return
How
was my storm water utility fee generated?
The Storm Water Utility Fee was
set at a rate adequate to raise $300,000 in revenue to cover first year operating
and capital expenses of the Storm Water Fund.Storm Water fees are computed
in terms of ERUs, ie "Equivalent Residential Units". All single
family residential parcels (lots) are counted as 1 ERU.Non-residential parcels
pay an annual storm water utility bill based on the total square footage
of impervious surface within the parcel. Each 5,000 square feet of impervious
surface represents 1 ERU.
There are approximately 9,000
parcels within the city and all parcels are expected to pay their proportionate
share of the cost of the Storm Water Program. Return
What
is considered to be an impervious surface?
An impervious surface is any surface that prevents
water from penetrating the ground. Examples include buildings, driveways,
parking lots, swimming pools, patios, paved areas, tanks, pads, and other
features that are impervious to rainfall. Return
Who
else is paying a storm water utility fee?
Every parcel owner in the City of Easley is responsible
for paying a storm water utility fee including City of Easley, State and
Federal government parcels and public institutions, commercial and industrial
parcel owners. There are no exceptions from paying a storm water utility
fee. Return
How
often will the fee be updated\changed?
The fee may be adjusted when permit requirements
change. The permit will be renewed in 2005. There are no anticipated changes
in the fee structure until the new permit is issued. City of Easley Council
must approve any modification in the fee. Return
Who
do I talk to if I want to dispute my bill or impervious area?
We are now past the time for making appeals for
this year. However, you are welcome to contact Storm Water Manager Tracy
Jones to discuss the amount of your bill. The Storm Water Manager will take
your information. If you contact the Storm Water Manager concerning your
fee amount, please have the most current information you have regarding your
parcel.
Your next opportunity to appeal the fee amount
will be next year. If you believe the fee amount on next year's bill is in
error, you should promptly file an appeal with the City of Easley as soon
as you receive your bill. Return
Is
there anything I can do to reduce my storm water bill?
Yes, a credit system is being developed that will
allow up to a maximum 25% credit for qualified, properly designed, installed
and maintained water quality Best Management Practices (BMPs). This credit
is only available to non-residential properties.
Residential properties are not eligible for fee
reductions. Because they typically only have a small amount of impervious
surface, they pay only a small fee when compared to non-residential properties. Return
How
much does the City of Easley's storm water program cost annually?
The FY 2004 Storm Water Fund budget
is $300,000. Operating expenses are approximately $200,000 and capital expenditures
are $100,000. Return
How
much is spent on Water Quality problems vs. Water Quantity problems?
The storm water fee is being collected to primarily
address the water quality issues associated with the NPDES Phase II Storm
Water permit. Approximately 33% of the fee is budgeted
for capital projects, which address both quality and quantity problems. This
may be adjusted by City of Easley Council depending on available funds and
the cost of meeting the permit requirements. Return
What is a
catch basin?
A catch basin is a device to collect storm water
runoff and is typically connected to a pipe system or open channel to convey
it to a receiving water. A catch basin may be located in the street, on the
curb or in a yard. Return
Do
catch basins and storm drains get cleaned out?
Yes, the City of Easley cleans catch basins and
storm drains as needed. Return
Why
doesn't the City of Easley install filters or screens in front of catch
basins?
Installing a filter or screen in front of a catch
basin is not a practical solution to curbing the amount and type of pollution
entering the storm sewer system. They are hard (labor-intensive) to maintain
and do little to prevent street flooding. Return
Why
doesn't the City of Easley build a storm water treatment plant?
The variation in rainfall amounts and runoff volume
would make a storm water treatment plant economically infeasible. Rainfall
not only falls in varying amounts, but also falls in varying quantities from
one side of the City of Easley to the other. In many storm events runoff
volumes can be excessive. In particular, in developing areas small rainfall
events can generate large amounts of runoff. Return
What
is the City of Easley doing about illegal dumping into the storm drains?
There is an ordinance in the process of being
drawn up that addresses dumping and litter. Enforcement of this ordinance
is part of the City of Easley's Phase II permit requirements. Code enforcement
officers are authorized to cite any person or persons caught illegally dumping
any material other than rainwater into a storm drain. Return
I
have seen stencils over certain catch basins. How do I get a stencil
for a catch basin near me?
The City of Easley is developing a program to
stencil catch basins that drain directly to a water of the State. If the
catch basin near you fits into this category, please contact the Stormwater
Manager to put it on the list to be stenciled. Return
Are
there any properties in the City of Easley that do not pay a storm water
fee?
Yes. State roads are exempt since they are governed
by a separate NPDES permit issued by SCDHEC. City of Easley and city roads
are considered to be part of the stormwater management system along with
City of Easley owned pipes, ditches and swales which convey stormwater to
waters of the State. They are the outfalls which the permit requires the
City of Easley to monitor, identify problems and improve if necessary. Return
Does
the Post Office or the Federal Courthouse pay a storm water fee?
Yes. Return
Does
the City of Easley pay a storm water fee for City of Easley-owned property?
Yes. Return
What
is a watershed and how do I know which watershed I'm located in?
The EPA website contains watershed information.
You can access it at http://www.epa.gov
Return
How
do I report storm water problems (erosion, flooding, dumping) etc.?
Call the Storm Water Department at (864) 855.7940.
The Stormwater Manager will log your report and address your complaint. Return
I
live at the top of a hill. Why do I have to pay a storm water fee? Alternatively,
I live at the bottom of a hill and everyone else's storm water runoff
impacts my property—why do I have to pay the storm water fee?
Water quality affects all residents in City of
Easley and therefore, all property owners must pay their fair share of the
costs to keep the rivers, lakes, creeks and streams clean. Return
What
happens if the City of Easley does nothing or refuses to comply with
the permit?
Should the City of Easley choose not to comply
with the permit, penalties for willful non-compliance can reach up to $25,000
per day each day a separate offense or imprisonment, or both. Return
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