Beginning March 1, El Paso Water Utilities under the policy direction of the Public Service Board will be responsible for stormwater management in the City of El Paso. Last July, City Council moved the responsibility for stormwater drainage to El Paso Water Utilities. Stormwater functions will be funded by a fee that appears on the monthly water bill. This fee will only be used for stormwater purposes and not water and sewer functions.

The stormwater charge is not a tax; it is a user fee that is calculated for every parcel within the city, except those exempted by state law, based on the impervious area of the property. There are several cities throughout the country that use this method of stormwater management.

El Paso is situated in the Chihuahuan Desert. The rainfall averages eight inches annually, and residents enjoy more than 300 sunny days in a typical year. Perhaps this is why managing stormwater runoff has historically taken a back seat to other municipal needs.

But priorities shifted following the torrential rains residents saw in 2006. El Paso was not prepared and the system had not been well maintained. Some storm drainage trunk lines, pump stations, channels and culverts were undersized, and some were in need of major maintenance or repair. As a result, stormwater runoff damaged much of the infrastructure. Estimates are that the damage to public and private property totaled more than $250 million.

Storm drain located near the Piedras exit (before) Stormwater crews clean up storm drain located near the Piedras exit (after)

Consultant’s Assessment

City Council’s actions are consistent with recommendations made by a consulting firm that assessed stormwater management and organization following Storm 2006. The assessment found that city stormwater needs had not been adequately funded, and stormwater management, currently shared by several departments, would be better served by a centralized organization.

Previously, stormwater services were funded by the City’s general fund. However, the consultants recommended establishing a separate user fee to fund stormwater management functions and the City Council agreed. The fee structure was also determined by the Utility’s Public Working Committee made up of over 20 individuals representing various organizations throughout the city. This concept was also discussed during several public presentations throughout the city to ascertain customer acceptance and willingness to pay. The fee is based on impervious area square footage. Non-residential properties will be charged according to the amount of impervious area, including paved parking lots and other areas that are impermeable to rainwater.

El Paso Central Appraisal District data will be used to calculate fees for residential properties. The impervious area calculations will be based on the ground floor of the house, garages, porches, patios, and any additional buildings, storage sheds or other areas than cannot be penetrated by rain. Turf, xeriscaped areas, driveways, walkways, and sidewalks are not included.

Residential properties will placed into one of three categories, based on impervious area square footage. Approximately 80 percent of residential properties are in the typical category, which includes parcels with impervious areas measuring between 1,201 and 3,000 square feet. Properties less than 1200 square feet are considered small and those greater than 3,000 square feet are considered large for fee purposes.

Increased Level of Service

The priorities for this utility will be on maintenance, planning, and the environment. The stormwater utility budget will fund an increased level of service. The number of people and equipment allocated for maintenance will substantially increase. Preventive maintenance will now be scheduled and be year round.

The City has never had a comprehensive stormwater master plan. One will be developed this year. A comprehensive assessment will be the basis for a stormwater capital improvement plan that identifies immediate and long-term needs. Areas that are traditionally flooded will be evaluated and solutions will be identified. We will also look for opportunities where the water can be captured and diverted to recharge the aquifers. The plan will include areas of El Paso County that are beyond the city limits. El Paso Water Utilities is working with the County, local, state and federal agencies and elected officials to obtain funding to plan for those areas. The preparation of the plan will be open to public input and dialogue and we encourage your participation.

The City is repairing those streets and channels that were most severely damaged during the 2006 storms. The stormwater utility will be responsible for the remaining projects, as well as the operation and maintenance of the system and the construction projects needed for infrastructure improvements. Other priorities include additional reporting and recording gauges to facilitate monitoring and improvements to the city’s flood control dams. There are currently no flow meters or official precipitation gauges anywhere within the watersheds, so assessments of flood frequencies and intensities are an educated guess. We plan to install such facilities at strategic areas and automate pump stations that are currently manually operated.

Open Space Acquisition

El Paso Water Utilities is committed to incorporating environmental stewardship into the management of stormwater. The use of concrete will be minimized and certain arroyos will be purchased, and kept natural, to the extent possible. By City Ordinance, which created this utility, ten percent of the revenues from stormwater fees will be used for projects that combine stormwater management with the preservation of open spaces, wilderness areas and park ponds. New facilities will be designed under criteria currently being developed under the City’s subdivision rewrite process and as part of the master planning process.

Storm 2006 caused tremendous damage because the existing facilities could not handle the runoff, and proper funding had not been made available. This new enterprise operation will be responsible for maintaining, operating and improving the stormwater system. This is vital for the safety and well-being of El Pasoans. The problem did not occur overnight. It is due to years of neglect. We ask your cooperation to give us time to address these issues, and welcome and encourage your participation in our planning process.