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Save money and protect Maine waters for years to come

Stormwater Utility Fee

Stormwater runoff is rain or snowmelt that flows over impervious cover, such as paved streets, parking lots, and more. This runoff isn’t absorbed into the ground. Instead, it gathers pollutants like trash, chemicals, oils, and other pollutants that can harm our ponds, rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans.

Federal and state regulations require cities in Maine, such as Portland and Bangor, to improve the health of local waters. These regulations involve stormwater education for the public, stormwater management system improvements, additional inspections, and other costly activities.

The stormwater utility fee these cities have implemented spreads the cost of stormwater compliance among City residents. A stormwater utility fee is charged based on the amount of impervious cover a property has. Examples of impervious cover include the following:

  • Asphalt
  • Concrete
  • Brick
  • Stone

Portland’s stormwater service charge is $7 per month for every 1,200 square feet of impervious cover. In Bangor, the fee is $22 for the first 3,000 feet of impervious cover on a property and $11 for each additional 1,000 feet.

So how does Stillwater Environmental Engineering factor into this equation?

Portland has a credit program, which is described as follows: “The credit program is focused on structural controls that reduce the impact of development on the stormwater drainage system. Two broad categories of controls are recognized: water quality controls and flood controls. Credits are available for residential properties and non-residential properties. To get a credit, a structural control needs to be built and a credit needs to be applied for with the City of Portland Department of Public Works.”

In Bangor, if your property has at least 4,000 feet of impervious cover and you take extra steps to mitigate stormwater, then you can qualify for a credit.

Essentially, if you are a property owner and come to us for stormwater compliance assistance, you will recover our fees through your city’s stormwater utility credit program. By using our services, you can save money in the long run and protect Maine waters for years to come.

To learn more about what we can do to help with your stormwater utility fees, please call us at (207) 949-0074