The “2018 Stormwater Utility Survey” was conducted online, in the United States, during May through July of 2018.
The results are presented under the following six sections:
- Section 1: Organization and Operations presents a general profile of the respondents including population, size and characteristics of service area.
- Section 2: Planning presents insights into what utility managers perceive to be the most important industry issues and stormwater infrastructure investment drivers. This section also highlights utility governance, the types of permit requirements that utilities have to comply with and the planning activities utilities engage in to address stormwater management. In addition, a new question was added this year regarding public-related partnership agreements (Question 13).
- Section 3: Finance and Accounting reviews stormwater utility revenues, expenditures, sources of funding, and the adequacy of stormwater funding to meet utility obligations.
- Section 4: Stormwater Rate Structure and Billing presents the types of costs recovered through user fees, the fee methodology used in setting rates, the rate structures and billing practices, and the average monthly residential rate of each utility that participated in the survey. Information on the types of exemptions and discounts that utilities offer, and insights on legal challenges are also provided. Calculated bills reflect rates in effect as of June 1, 2018.
- Section 5: Stormwater Credits and Incentives offers insights into the types of credits, criteria used in offering credits, and innovative credit programs.
- Section 6: Public Information/Education assesses the methods of education and multi-media sources used in educating and in disseminating information.