Stormwater Utility Fee

The Town of Needham is facing a federal requirement to reduce the amount of pollution from stormwater runoff discharging to local waterways, including substantial phosphorous reduction requirements of runoff into the Charles River.  As a result, to meet federal and state permit obligations, the Town must increase its investment in stormwater infrastructure management.  In April  2023, the Needham Select Board approved a Stormwater Utility Fee Program which will spread the cost of this public service by using a formula that reflects each property’s contribution to stormwater runoff.  

Beginning this month, residential and non-residential properties in Needham which have more than 200 square feet of impervious surface will incur a stormwater utility assessment.  The assessment will be included in the monthly or quarterly water/sewer bill.  Impervious surfaces are hard areas such as roofs, concrete, asphalt driveways, and patios that do not allow water to soak into the ground easily.  Instead, water runs off the impervious surfaces, and then flows into a storm drain or a nearby body of water taking everything on that surface (pollution, trash, animal waste, etc.) with it.  Properties with more impervious surface create more runoff and have a larger impact on water quality and quantity, therefore the fee charged is related to the amount of impervious area on the property.  

Several other local communities have opted for a stormwater utility fee to fund their stormwater programs.  As every property generates runoff and benefits from a stormwater program, the utility model is a recommended method of collecting revenue from those who place a demand on the stormwater management system.  Needham’s basic residential rate is $38.20 annually (for 200 to 4,000 square feet of impervious surface), which is one of the lowest being charged in the state.

The revenue generated by the stormwater utility fee will be used to manage and upgrade our Town’s public stormwater drainage system.  Some examples of what will be included in the stormwater program are programs and projects required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be considered compliant such as construction site runoff controls and pollution prevention as well as additional infrastructure improvements to Needham’s stormwater management system.

For questions about how your property’s stormwater utility fee is determined, please contact Kim Donovan at kdonovan@needhamma.gov.  For questions about your bill, please contact dpwadmin@needhamma.gov.

Stormwater Assessment Fee FAQs