WESTBOROUGH – After more than two years of development, the town’s Stormwater Utility will take effect on July 1.
A stormwater utility operates much like an electric or drinking water utility. Fees collected from property owners go into a dedicated fund to pay specifically for the work of operating, maintaining and improving public stormwater infrastructure.
All property owners in Westborough with developed land will receive a bill. The fees will begin on July 1; bills will be sent out quarterly.
The fee schedule is as follows:
Single-Family Residential, Tier 1 (impervious area of 500 to 4,000 square feet) – annual fee of $57.66, quarterly fee of $14.22
Single-Family Residential, Tier 2 (impervious area of 4,001 to 6,000 square feet) – annual fee of $115.32, quarterly fee of $28.33.
Single-Family Residential, Tier 3 (impervious area of 6,001 to 10,000 square feet) – annual fee of $172.98, quarterly fee of $43.25.
Single-Family Residential, Tier 4 (impervious area of 10,001 square feet or greater) – calculate
Other Tier 4 Properties (including condominiums, multifamily (greater than two units), commercial and industrial properties.
SFR Tier 4 and Other Tier 4 properties – one billing unit per 2,000 square feet multiplied by $4.81 (minimum of one billing unit) for quarterly fee, and then multiplied by four for annual fee. Billing units are calculated by dividing the total impervious area by 2,000 square feet.
The billed amount is determined by the amount of impervious area on a parcel. The impervious area will not include public property on a parcel, such as a public sidewalk that passes through a parcel.
Impervious area is determined using data from the town’s Geographic Information System. It is the total amount of impervious area on the property measured in square feet.
Some property owners may be eligible to apply for a credit. Specific criteria must be met, including the existence of an on-site stormwater management system and documented maintenance of the system.
If impervious area is added or removed from a property, the property may shift to a different billing tier. The town will review Geographic Information System data for changes. Additionally, changes to impervious area identified through town permit applications will be reconciled.
For more information, visit https://www.westboroughma.gov/294/Stormwater-Utility-Information.
