What are StormWater Fees?
Olivia Vara
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso water says that a “StormWater Fee” is added to everyones water bill alongside the water usage bill and the wastewater usage bill.
They say that it is used for operation and maintenance of the storm water system, and to pay for bonds that El Paso Water takes out for larger projects
El Paso Water says the fee residents currently pay is $7.42 per water bill, with the original storm water fee having started at $4. They say there have been several increases in this bill over the last three years due to mandates from city council and through the residents of El Paso wanting to see more projects completed.
When asked in an interview whether these storm water fees help mitigate flooding to peoples homes who are customers of El Paso Water, they said stormwater projects, whether it’s for the maintenance or the building of these really large projects, is to protect public health and safety.
El Paso Water said that the stormwater fee is utilized to collect, convey and redirect all of this water away from people’s homes and from private property.
El Paso Water said they wanted their customers to know that upwards of $362 million worth of work has been done. They say that $650 million of projects were initially identified.
ABC-7 asked El Paso Water in an interview what they would say to people who question the stormwater tax, especially during flooding after these storms that come in to the area.
Gilbert Trejo, Vice President for operations and technical services at El Paso Water, said “We understand their frustration because they they pay a fee and they, they probably don’t want to see any water in the streets. But in El Paso, the streets are part of the stormwater system. The curbs you see on the side of roadways, that is to keep water within, the roadway. They’re like little channels, you know, you try and use public infrastructure for many different ways.”