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<br /> . <br /> News Release Stormwater Open House <br /> August 17, 1993 <br /> Page 2 <br /> Acco ding to Les Lyle, Public Works Engineering, in the past the Stormwater system <br /> was designe to carry storm and flood waters through and away from the urban area to <br /> protect residents and property from flooding. "This approach worked well for dealing with <br /> water quan ty, i but did not address water quality. Recent studies in the community about <br /> natural reso rces, wetlands, and water quality have expanded our understanding about the <br /> multiple valiues of our waterways. The Plan molds these multiple values into a <br /> comprehensive, integrated approach for managing our urban waters in a way that maintains <br /> flood protection, yet also addresses water quality," Lyle said. <br /> Wor shop participants also will get detailed information about how the city proposes <br /> to finance t e new program. Total Stormwater program costs are estimated to increase by 66 <br /> percent in 1994. Eight-seven percent of these new program costs are in response to federal <br /> water quali>Cy mandates. The remaining 13 percent relate to the implementation of the West <br /> Eugene We land's Plan, which calls for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of <br /> wetlands in the west Eugene area and the protection of other related natural resources. <br /> The city has collected Stormwater user fees as part of its sewer user changes since the <br /> 1960s to o~er~lte and maintain the Stormwater system. Although the program is administered <br /> by the city ~of Eugene, the fees are collected thro the E ene Water and Electric Board <br /> (EWEB) utility bills. ,,~~C..urrent fees fo r~si~e~t}a~customers are based on a customer's water <br /> meter size t- the large a water meter, the larger the fee. On residential billings, the sanitary <br /> sewer and $tormwater drainage fees are shown as a combined charge. Currently, residential <br /> users pay a flat Stormwater fee of $4.69 a month. <br /> The~'~ City is proposing to change from water meter size to impervious surface area as a <br /> basis for d$termining the stormwater fee. Water meter size is less directly related to a <br /> property's ~ctual impact on the stormwater system. Impervious surface, which is used as a <br /> billing me~hamism in a majority of communities across the nation, more accurately reflects the <br /> use of the ~ystem. Impervious surfaces are hard surfaces like roof tops, driveways, and <br /> parking lots. The more impervious surface a parcel has, the greater the amount of stormwater <br /> runoff and'the greater the impact the user will have on the system. <br /> more <br /> <br />