Many people in the metro Atlanta area know that inspecting and properly maintaining a community’s stormwater infrastructure is good for the environment. What most people don’t know is that it can also be good for your wallet. Fortunately, at Aquascape Environmental, we work with our clients to keep their systems running well and minimize the potential costs to their bottom line.
In most cities and counties in Georgia, a stormwater utility fee is collected from property owners. This fee is used to replace old pipes, reduce pollution, monitor water quality, and maintain the stormwater infrastructure. These fees are typically found on your property tax bill but are actually determined by the amount of impervious surface (roads, driveways, roofs, etc.) or “impact” the property has on the stormwater runoff as opposed to simply the value of the property.
We watch your Stormwater like a Hawk®
The good news is that some local agencies, Gwinnett County being one of the first, offer property owners a monetary credit towards their stormwater utility fee if they can present documentation of their good “stewardship” towards the watershed. To understand how Aquascape Environmental manages our client’s stormwater systems check out our website here: https://aquascape.net/services/stormwater-management/
According to Gwinnett County’s website, some of the most commonly applied credits for a single-family residential property fall under the Watershed Stewardship category. They include:
- Septic tank maintenance: having your septic tank pumped out can earn you a 10 percent credit for five years
- County approved workshops and training programs: by learning to improve water quality or reduce stormwater runoff, you can earn a five percent credit every year that you participate in a workshop. Visit Events and Workshops to sign up for our next course
- Public participation: you can earn a five percent credit by participating in an activity like stenciling storm drains, a stream clean-up project, or passing an Adopt-a-Stream training course
- Rain barrels: rain barrels collect rainwater from rooftops, reducing the amount that goes into the system. By installing one at each downspout, you can earn a three percent credit. Learn more about rain barrels
- Automatic sprinkler sensors: if you install sensors to prevent automatic sprinklers from operating during rain events, you can earn a 10 percent credit for a one-year term
Website reference – https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/web/gwinnett/departments/water/whatwedo/stormwater/stormwaterutilityfeeandcredits
Community-wide credits can also be applied to cover larger infrastructure items such as retention and detention pond features. However, in these cases much of the documentation necessary to get the credits, such as volume certifications or more modern retrofit modifications, must be done by an engineer. So, there can be a bit more of an upfront expense to achieve the credit.
As you can see, a little effort and some good old-fashioned paperwork can save you some big bucks in the long run, while helping to improve the overall watershed for you and your community. If you haven’t had a recent assessment or are interested in learning how you might be able to qualify for these or other credits, reach out to us at 678-445-0077 or mail@aquascape.net.
