The Town of Acton’s Water Resources Advisory Committee (RAC) presented a stormwater management and funding feasibility study to the Select Board on Dec. 15, summarizing inspections, public outreach and financing options.

Joe, the RAC presenter, said the committee built on Woodard & Curran’s 2023 asset‑management work, noting inspections of 109 of 133 known culverts, 49 of 54 detention basins, and about 11,000 feet of the town’s conveyance pipe. The study identified 22 culverts and seven drains needing immediate or high‑priority corrective work and recommended that 27 detention basins require structural repair or large‑scale maintenance. RAC reviewed three capital‑spending scenarios and said a combined program of priority capital improvements plus annual maintenance best meets long‑term needs; Woodard & Curran’s scenario implied roughly $1,000,000 per year over 10 years to achieve that level of investment.

RAC presented a flowchart of management and financing options: keep the Department of Public Works (DPW) overseeing the program; create an advisory or oversight body; or consider establishing a stormwater utility. On financing, RAC discussed long‑term borrowing, funding through the general fund (subject to Proposition 2½ constraints), and a stormwater fee either as a fixed parcel fee or sized to a parcel’s impervious area. The committee noted that Acton already maintains a stormwater revolving fund for some maintenance work and urged residents to consider dedicated revenue for predictable, sustainable maintenance.

Select board members and staff pressed RAC on public outreach and the committee’s choice not to explicitly recommend a single funding mechanism. RAC members said outreach included an in‑person forum and an online survey; about 100 attendees participated in the forum and a broader online sample supported a utility in the survey, but committee members differed on whether to recommend a single option to the board. Several board members said they favored fee‑based revenue tied to impervious area for fairness and predictability; others asked the committee to critically reassess Woodard & Curran’s $10 million, 10‑year borrowing scenario and to explore alternatives including limiting borrowing, establishing a utility, or using a recurring, dedicated municipal line that cannot be reallocated.

Members of the public and technical commenters urged the board to ensure culvert replacements and repairs meet river and stream crossing standards and wetlands protections to preserve wildlife passage and flood resilience. The town’s engineering staff said DPW inspects private stormwater systems during construction but that ongoing private system inspections may be limited.

The Select Board expressed appreciation for the RAC report and asked staff to keep the board engaged as specific drafting of funding mechanisms, fee examples and management structures proceeds. Staff will return with additional analysis and consultant recommendations to inform future decisions on whether to pursue a stormwater utility, borrowing, or other funding approaches.

What’s next: staff and RAC will continue to refine cost estimates, fee illustrations, and management options and return to the Select Board for further direction. The board discussed bringing refined recommendations back for consideration during upcoming budget cycles and public engagement.