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Spalding County seeks engineering study to prepare a funded stormwater utility and meet MS4 obligations
Summary
County staff requested a phase‑1 engineering task order to design fee options and a roadmap to fund an expanded stormwater utility needed to meet EPD MS4 permit obligations and be revenue neutral by the board’s target.
County staff asked commissioners to approve a phase‑1 task order with the county’s master stormwater engineer to design a fee structure and roadmap to fund a standing stormwater utility that would support permit-required programs under the county’s MS4 permit from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD).
TJ (staff) said the phase‑1 engineering work would determine fee options, customer databases and the process to assess impervious surface so the county can bill property owners for stormwater service rather than rely indefinitely on the general fund. TJ said the study is included in the county’s proposed FY26 budget and that staff seeks to complete the phase‑1 work in time to have a fee option by fall 2026.
Why it matters: under MS4 permit obligations the county must inspect and maintain stormwater infrastructure, enforce illicit-discharge rules, conduct construction-site and post-construction inspections and deliver required water-quality monitoring and public-outreach programs. Staff warned that failing to meet MS4 responsibilities could result in EPD fines and loss of the county’s ability to act as the local issuing authority for land-disturbance permits — a change that would shift permitting to the state and could delay development by six to twelve months.
Staff noted investments already placed to support the program, including an EagleView impervious-area data set, a GIS field technician under a Spalding County Water Authority partnership, a roadway-asset assessment with sidewalk/curb inventory and a revised work-order system tied to GIS. The county currently funds two stormwater maintenance staff from the general fund and reported about 30 work orders completed in the prior 45 days.
Commissioners asked how long it would take to reach revenue neutrality and how many years of ramp-up would be needed. TJ said phase 1 will define level-of-service costs and that staff intends to return with phase 2 and 3 to provide a full packet with cost estimates prior to FY27 so the board can decide whether to establish a fee. No fee or ordinance was adopted at the workshop; commissioners agreed the study should proceed as budgeted so the county can meet permit timelines.
Ending: commissioners approved moving ahead with the engineering phase in the FY26 budget (staff requested inclusion) and directed staff to return with the fee options, implementation timeline and revenue-neutrality estimates before a final decision to set rates or assess parcels.
