Draft Stormwater Utility Rate Structure

A report has been drafted that recommends a rate structure as an important next step for funding the stormwater program.  The draft rate structure is based on: Carrboro's Town Code, which provides the legal structure; anticipated expenses for the utility; a GIS study of impervious surfaces in Carrboro; and experience from other North Carolina jurisdictions that have implemented utilities.  The rate structure is based on the amount of impervious surface relative to the “Equivalent Residential Unit” (ERU) of impervious surface. The nonresidential rate structure is "tiered", and an extrapolation from the residential rate based on amount of impervious surface for a given property.   The draft rate structure is shown below.

Recommended Rate Structure

 (Annual Service Charge/Fee)

Residential (1 ERU)...................$75

Non-residential:

Tier 1 (1 ERU)............................. $75

Tier 2 (5 ERUs)........................... $375

Tier 3 (11 ERUs) ........................ $825

Tier 4 (17 ERUs) ....................... $1275

Tier 5 (25 ERUs) ....................... $1875

Additional Tiers (+10 ERUs)*….add $750 from the immediately adjacent lower tier

*in 10 ERU increments, price per tier, total of 22 tiers.  The largest tier has 195 ERUs.  The annual fee for this tier would be $14,625.  A table showing all 22 non-residential tiers is provided here.