Murrysville council hires LSSE for $26,000 stormwater-fee study

Murrysville council unanimously approved a $26,000 contract with Lennon, Smith, Souleret Engineering (LSSE) to conduct an impervious‑surface study and draft a stormwater‑fee analysis and public outreach plan.

Staff described the work as two parts: an aerial impervious‑surface evaluation (about $20,000) that will sample roughly 100 single‑family homes to define an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU), and a $6,000 analysis and reporting package that includes presentations to council and public meetings. The mapping will also measure non‑residential parcels so businesses and institutions can be charged proportionally if a fee is later adopted.

“$20,000 is just for that evaluation alone,” staff said, adding that LSSE has performed similar work for nearby municipalities such as Fox Chapel and Moon Township. Staff emphasized that approving the study does not obligate council to adopt a fee: the study is intended to quantify the stormwater system’s current and future costs and to support public engagement before any policy decision.

Council members raised funding and fairness questions. One member advocated using earned‑income tax revenue instead of a new fee; staff responded that a user fee targets entities that create the stormwater demand (large impervious footprints such as shopping centers, schools, churches), whereas earned‑income tax spreads costs across taxpayers and would not capture many non‑paying entities.

The motion to hire LSSE passed unanimously. Staff said the study’s cost could be reimbursed from future stormwater fees if council later decides to adopt them.