Cedar Park Officials Looking Into Implementing Drainage Fee

CEDAR PARK, TX -- City officials are studying the possibility of implementing a monthly drainage fee to provide funds related to storm water management.

In the municipal website, city officials explain the need for such a fee that would be imposed on residents toward creating needed infrastructure, provide maintenance and ensure compliance of drainage management throughout the city.

In arguing for the need, officials point to flooding, standing water, pollution, debris, stagnation and mosquitoes that rainfall yields. A monthly drainage fee would help mitigate all those issues.

"The management of stormwater – or drainage – is an important part of city growth," officials write. "As a city grows and development occurs, there are less opportunities for rain to soak into the ground. Water that runs off rooftops, roads, driveways, parking lots, sidewalks and other impervious surfaces needs a place to go."

Debris is a key issue that helps illustrate the need for a drainage fee, officials noted.

"In order to run efficiently, our storm water system must be kept clear of soil, debris, trees, leaves, limbs, grass clippings, trash and other debris which obstructs the flow of water," officials said. "This debris can obstruct water flow and cause flooding of streets and property, degradation of water quality in our creeks and streams, and stagnant water which creates a habitat for mosquito breeding."

A drainage fee is being eyed in light of the lack of city resources to oversee storm water-related issues in the city.

"The City of Cedar Park does not currently have adequate resources to maintain our storm water system long term and make necessary improvements," officials wrote.

That dearth of available resources heightens the need to explore the possibility of implementing the drainage fee, officials added.

"The study explores the possibility of implementing a monthly storm water utility fee for residential and non-residential property owners which could pay for storm water infrastructure improvements and other mitigation measures that can reduce the risk of flooding now and in the future, maintenance and repair of our storm water system, and enable us to continue to comply with increasingly stringent State and Federal regulations."

The fee would fund three major components related to storm water/drainage management, city officials said:

• Infrastructure

Storm water infrastructure projects are larger drainage projects such as the widening of major creek channels, and construction and repair of storm drains, underground pipes or retention ponds for existing and future development. Stormwater infrastructure is at the core of stormwater management, and its purpose is to ensure that rainfall runoff across town is directed into storm drains, through our stormwater system and out to our creeks, thereby minimizing the risk of flooding.

• Maintenance

The maintenance of our stormwater system helps ensure that all components such as drainage ditches, storm drains, culverts and gutters are functioning properly. With lack of maintenance even new stormwater infrastructure can be the cause of flooding, standing water, stagnation and mosquitoes. Currently, we do not have adequate resources to maintain our stormwater system long term and make necessary improvements. Instead, these tasks are being performed by the Streets and Parks Departments when time permits.

• Compliance

In addition to the stormwater infrastructure and maintenance initiatives taken at the local level to promote the health and safety of our community, stormwater management in Cedar Park is governed by State and Federal regulation, and must be in compliance with the a stormwater discharge permit issued to the City by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in accordance with rules mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pursuant to the Clean Water Act. The stormwater discharge permit, known as the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Permit, or simply MS4, has increasingly stringent requirements that the City must undertake in order to maintain compliance.

City officials urge residents to be part of the discussion, and have schedule an open house for discussion of the proposed drainage fee. It's scheduled June 29 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Parks and Recreation Community Room. Click here for more information.