West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt is proposing the creation of a dedicated stormwater utility to help fund the town’s aging drainage infrastructure.
This proposal follows several rounds of heavy rain this summer and aims to ensure the town is prepared for future storms.
Under the proposal, property owners would pay a flat fee of $25 each quarter, or $100 per year.
The resulting revenue would be used exclusively for stormwater projects and the maintenance of flood protection systems throughout the town.
These infrastructure projects would include the maintenance and improvement of the town’s levee system along the Connecticut and Westfield rivers.
The funding would also support nearly 150 miles of underground stormwater pipes, catch basins, retention ponds, and pump stations.
Currently, West Springfield does not have a dedicated funding source for stormwater management, unlike its established water and sewer systems.
A stormwater utility is a dedicated local program that manages rainwater runoff by charging property owners fees based on the amount of hard, non-absorbing surfaces.
Mayor Reichelt said the town currently must balance stormwater needs against other general fund priorities like road repairs and sidewalks.
Expressing the need to reevaluate municipal spending, Reichelt said that the town needs to “take a hard look of how we’re funding this,” according to WWLP.
The mayor noted that officials are currently “balancing other general funding” against critical infrastructure like “floodwalls and pump stations,” the outlet reported.
The proposal is currently before the West Springfield Town Council for formal consideration.