Stormwater Utilities Project

As part of the Governor’s climate bill in 2021, all Connecticut municipalities were authorized to establish stormwater utilities to cover the rapidly increasing costs of stormwater management brought on by new federal regulatory requirements and climate change. A stormwater utility is a governmental entity, similar to a water or sewer utility, that charges a fee for use of the stormwater system based on the amount of impervious cover one has on their property. Because fees are based on the amount of stormwater a property owner is contributing to the system, it is often considered a more equitable, as well as stable, source of funding for maintenance and upgrades. Stormwater utilities are a common approach to both alleviate or prevent flooding and address the problem of polluted runoff in most of the country, but they have only recently started to gain traction in the Northeast.

In collaboration with Connecticut Sea Grant, CLEAR has launched an outreach effort aimed at helping Connecticut communities decide if a stormwater utility makes sense for them. CLEAR has launched a webinar series focused on different aspects of setting up and running a utility, set-up a website with case studies and guidance.

To learn more visit our stormwater utilities web page.