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1 <br /> STORMWATER SERVICE CHARGE <br /> <br /> ~r METHODOLOGY PAPER <br /> 1.0 In roduction <br /> This report ovides an overview of the methodology used to establish the revised Stormwater <br /> Service charg for the City of Eugene. The report begins by providing background on the basis for <br /> and purpose o the service charge. Later sections go into detail on the basic method used to calculate <br /> a customer's c ge and a process for seeking charge adjustments. Bracketed comments are intended <br /> for explanatio but are not officially adopted as part of this document. <br /> 2.0 B sis For The Charge <br /> The City ofE ene has collected funds to support stormwater capital and operational needs as part <br /> of the City's s wer service charge since the 1960s. In 1983, the City separated the sewer service <br /> charge into 'tary and storm service charge components. The basis of the charge was water meter <br /> size, with resi ential properties paying a flat fee and commerciaUndustrial customers paying based <br /> on the size their water meter. The concept behind the fee is that a customer pays for the <br /> stormwater se ices provided by the City of Eugene in general proportion to the amount of service <br /> provided to t e customer. Everything else being equal, the greater the water usage,. which is <br /> correlated to ome degree with runoff, the greater the fee. <br /> Several adopt goals and policies support the use of stormwater service charges. These goals and <br /> policies are lis ed in the Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan. <br /> 3.0 Re ised Service Charge Practices <br /> ~ ' nu 4 th~City <br /> of~Eugene e-t~re~r-chargesd a stormwater service charge to all <br /> sanitary sewer ustomers. Any person who occupiesd property that is~u connected to the sanitary <br /> sewer system is a~ charged a stormwater service charge t#at-is-based on the size of their water <br /> j meter. In gene al, service charges are verb set by allocating the cost of a program to the customers <br /> based on their relative use of the system. A customer's water meter size, though, has, at best, an <br /> indirect relati ship to the customef s relative effect on the stormwater system. <br /> The amount o impervious surface (hard surfaces such as roof tops and driveways) is a much better <br /> measurement f the customer's demand on the public stormwater system. Impervious surfaces <br /> increase both t e amount and rate of stormwater runoff compared to natural conditions. The more <br /> impervious su ace, the greater will be the need for the community to provide stormwater service and <br /> thus the greate the impact the customer will have on the system. Changing the basis for the service <br /> charge Chang s the customer base. Except as provided in Section 6 of this methodology, it is <br /> ~ I'~, <br /> Stormwater S rvice Charge: Methodology Paper -Page 1 <br /> Draft Revisio -April 10, 1995 <br /> <br />