Stormwater Program Budget
Effective stormwater management has many economic benefits, and can help avoid significant local expenditures such as repair aging stormwater systems, address flooding and reduce erosion. The Town of Orchard Park falls under the MS4 program and is obligated to implement best management practices (BMPs) with respect to their management of stormwater in municipal systems.
All MS4 communities must implement the six minimum control measures that constitute the BMPs.
There are four broad categories that the six minimum control measures are placed:
- Capital Costs
- Maintenance Costs
- Regulatory Oversight Costs
- Programming Costs
Capital Costs are those that involve the construction of stormwater control facilities. This will typically occur in the context of a municipality building or upgrading their stormwater system. It could occur as an adjunct to a municipal project (e.g. the construction of roads or new municipal buildings) or as a stand alone project to upgrade the components of the stormwater system. Many of the new systems will be installed as part of development projects at the expense of the project sponsor and hence, in those cases, there will be no local cost for construction.
Maintenance costs are those that involve the upkeep of any part of the municipal stormwater management system. This would include roads, streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, man-made channels and storm drains.
Regulatory oversight costs are those which the municipality incurs to oversee the actions taken by third parties that provide input into the municipal stormwater system. They would include the review of applications for development projects and the costs incurred for the enforcement of local laws.
Programmatic costs are those needed to develop the components of the MS4 program and report to DEC and those that involve public education and participation. The funding options for a municipality will differ depending upon the type of cost involved.
The funding options for a municipality will differ depending upon the type of cost involved.
A dedicated funding source must be developed and implemented for required stormwater management activities relating to capital costs (construction of stormwater facilities), maintenance costs (upkeep of the municipal stormwater system), regulatory oversight costs (review of development projects and enforcement of local stormwater laws), and programmatic costs (reporting to DEC and administrator of the MS4 program).