Maplewood Adopts New ‘Climate-Conscious’ Stormwater Utility

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the Township of Maplewood. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

In December, Maplewood Township joined more than 2,000 municipalities across the country to establish a stormwater utility. The new utility, detailed in Ordinance 3138-24, is intended to better manage stormwater runoff that can impact public health, property, and the environment. The township received technical support from Arcadis U.S. Inc. through a contract awarded by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection.

The township’s stormwater infrastructure (pipes, inlets, and outflow and discharge assemblies) is dated and becoming more strained as stormwater intensifies due to the increase in frequency and severity of rainstorms. As water runs off roads, rooftops and parking lots, our township is getting more flooding in several areas throughout our community. The stormwater utility will be dedicated to infrastructure repair and upgrades, so that we can collect and remove the significant volume of water that we are experiencing.

The utility fee will first appear on property owner’s sewer bills this spring, and will be based on a fair and equitable approximation of the proportionate contribution of stormwater runoff from each property. Initial estimations concluded that 61% of residential property owners will pay roughly $70 per year; and 21% of residential property owners will pay roughly $35 per year. This new utility will generate annual funding to better manage stormwater, control flooding, and protect the environment.

For more information, visit our dedicated Stormwater Utility landing page, where you can read the full ordinance; review the newly-released Credit & Adjustment Policy Manual; and view links to the Township Committee meetings that helped shape the utility.

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