Well over ten years ago, when the city began its sewer separation project, we were told that we would have to pay a surcharge to cover the costs of the bonds for the project.
Sewer separation as a project has been going on for decades. However the accelerated program, then called CSSP for combined sewer separation program, started almost 20 years ago in 1985 and was completed in 1995 (by then, called the Combines Street and Sewer Program). The impetus for the acceleration was various lawsuits and federal regulations that needed to be met.
The surcharge was originally intended to help pay for this program. Separation by itself was estimated at $15 million per year.
Now property owners receive an invoice "to repay the bonds issued to finance the sewer separation program..." So how long are we going to have to repay these bonds?
There were a number of concerns about how long the surcharge to pay for separation would last. Some members of the original City Council that approved it were somewhat apprehensive about creating this new 'process'. I think you will feel more comfortable, or if nothing else more accurate, if you consider it an ongoing fee, much like the one you get for street maintenance or the new one for street plowing, for maintenance of the storm sewer system. I don't expect any source of funding to go away, ever. Especially if the costs are not going to go away.
The next part intrigues me. operation and maintenance of the storm sewer system and to fund programs to improve the quality of storm water runoff.
Please tell me what it takes to operate a storm sewer and what we did before the sewer separation project. I do understand what it might take to maintain the system.
At times there may be a need to separate the costs for maintaining a sanitary sewer system away from the cost of maintaining a storm sewer system. Reasons may vary depending on who you talk to. And who you have to justify increases to. Either way, maintenance of a storm sewer system is real and costs money, even if it might be less costly than maintaining a sanitary sewer system.
Also, I would like to know what programs exist that can improve the quality of storm water run-off. I'm sorry that I am a bit dense her. But the only way we can improve the quality of water tunning into the sewers is to make sure that the water is better before it gets to the system. How do you do that? We already separate the waste sewer system from the storm sewer system. So what is left?
Lets see! We can add filters to all drains. We can eliminate salt and sand on our streets in the winter. Oh yes we can stop people from cleaning their lawnmowers and blowing grass into the gutters.
The City has a documented program for improving the quality of storm runoff. And if you consider the system that you mention above as being lakes and rivers, yes the only way to do so is before it gets there or gets created as runoff in the first place. I can check to see if there is a document available for those who ask this question that is more orderly of a response than mine would be and I'll forward the copy to you. Other entities within St. Paul have programs also. They would include Capitol Region Watershed District, Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District, Ramsey County, and Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES). They also have fees and taxes for you that you are currently paying for maintenance of storm sewers.
It seems to me this charge like many others lately are just taxes that have gained the name fee so the Administration can increase revenues without raising taxes.
I would agree. Its a public cost and it needs money from the public to pay for it. The distribution of these costs may vary based upon whether its a property tax or a fee.
Again, I'll see if a .pdf file is available that explains the City's program.
Pat Byrne St. Clair and Lexington Parkway Neighborhood.
"Not Everyone Can Live Upstream"
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