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Arlington staff propose $10 stormwater utility increase, citing personnel and debt pressures
Summary
DEES proposed a $10 per ERU stormwater utility increase, adding three positions and using fund balance for one‑time mitigation and heavy equipment costs; staff said the increase reflects personnel, debt service and overhead pressures while maintaining a 90‑day operating reserve.
Arlington County staff recommended a $10 increase per Equivalent Residential Unit in the stormwater utility fee as part of the Department of Environmental Services FY27 budget presentation.
The department said proposed expenses for the stormwater utility rise about 6% to roughly $17 million, driven mainly by personnel costs, debt service and indirect overhead. To support the work, DEES proposed adding three positions to the fund: an engineering support associate transfer, an engineering role transferred from development services, and a construction management specialist who will spend about 75% of time on capital projects.
Greg, presenting the fund details, said staff plan to use part of the existing fund balance for one‑time items (including $163,000 for heavy equipment replacement and $50,000 for tree canopy) while retaining a 90‑day operating reserve. "The proposed increase of $10 per ERU hits different rate classes differently... about a $180 annual increase if an apartment owner were to pass it through to a renter," Greg told the board.
Board members asked for additional detail on credit re‑certifications (staff reported a 60% renewal rate in the first round), the administrative workload of renewals and how private stormwater facilities and HOA actions influence revenue forecasts. Staff said that construction slowdowns and interest rates were part of the reason for modest projected declines in private facility activity.
Next steps: The increase was presented as part of the operating budget; board action will be required to finalize rates. DEES said it will provide further detail on re‑certification procedures and explore ways to streamline administrative burdens.
