Hammond council introduces stormwater fee increase to fund capital projects; sanitary district pledges $1M

The Hammond Common Council on Oct. 14 moved the first and second readings of Ordinance 25-29, a proposed stormwater user-fee increase that would raise the residential fee from $7.75 per month to $9 per month and include incremental escalators that could raise the fee to $15 by 2029.

Councilwoman Venez, citing repeated flood and stormwater issues across districts, said the increase would generate about $1 million a year that the Hammond Sanitary District has pledged to the Capital Improvement Board for stormwater projects. "This is small money that could help us try to combat this problem," she said.

Sanitary-district staff explained the fee is assessed by property size and land use: larger commercial and industrial parcels pay higher fees because they contribute more stormwater to the system. A sanitation official clarified residential pay an additional $1.25 per month under the proposal, and that the fee is charged monthly and collected twice yearly with utility bills.

Council members asked how the fee was calculated and whether Hammond would remain competitive on total utility bills. Staff supplied comparative charts showing Hammond's total utility cost remains lower than many Indiana cities even if the increase is adopted. Council voted to refer the ordinance to council-as-a-whole for further review; the motion passed 9-0.

If approved, the ordinance would increase dedicated stormwater funding for repairs and capital projects; the sanitary district also trimmed related repair line items in its draft budget in anticipation of the new revenue source.

Details, schedule and exemptions will be spelled out in the ordinance language and in the council-as-a-whole review.