How is Dedham's stormwater infrastructure maintained?
Dedham actively maintains our stormwater system through various tasks including but not limited to street sweeping, catch basin cleaning, inspection and repair of pipes and structures, upgrading treatment facilities, inspections at outfall locations, issuing of permits for stormwater discharges on private property.

What is Dedham required to do each year under the current MS4 permit?
As mentioned above, there are more than 200 requirements/obligations under the current MS4 permit that Dedham must meet each year. These requirements/obligations fall under the following categories:

• Public Education & Outreach - Each year we must educate our target audiences: residents, businesses, commercial facilities, developers (construction) and industrial facilities on ways they can reduce the pollution that gets into our stormwater system and natural resource areas.
• Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) Program -  This requires the investigation and water sampling of our entire stormwater system and the identification of any potential illicit connection, such as a sewer line discharging sewerage into the stormwater system. Whenever an illicit discharge is found, the Town must remove and redirect it as soon as possible. The Town must also continuously update its stormwater infrastructure mapping and provide training to our employees to detect a potential illicit connection.
• Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control - We are required to continuously update our stormwater regulations and/or bylaws to minimize or eliminate erosion, and to provide onsite sediment maintenance so it is not transported in stormwater and enter our stormwater system or discharge to our natural resources.
• Post-Construction Stormwater Management - When a BMP is installed as part of a private development or public works project, these BMPs must be inspected and maintained throughout the life of the BMP to ensure that it is performing as designed to remove or reduce the targeted pollutant. This requires the development of long-term operation and maintenance (O&M) plans that must be followed. The Conservation Department approves all long-term O&M plans that are subject to review and the property owner is responsible to submit annual reports to Conservation for review to determine compliance with their plans.
• Good Housekeeping and Pollution Prevention - Operations such as street sweeping roadways and cleaning catch basins. The Town has developed a Stormwater Polloution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for the DPW facility because it has the potential for discharges pollutants through its various operations.
• Phosphorous Control Plan (PCP) - Dedham is one of 35 other Towns, Cities, and agencies within the Charles River Watershed, all of which are responsible for the creation and implementation of a PCP.  Starting in Year 6 (July 1, 2023) of our current MS4 permit, all Charles River Watershed communities must begin the implementation of their PCP. Dedham is required to remove approximately 891 pounds of phosphorus per year from the Charles River Watershed before Year 20. This is accomplished through BMPs such as enhanced street sweeping and through the design and construction of structural BMPs capable of removing phosphorous prior to discharging into our natural resources within the watershed. These structural BMPs will be installed within the Town's public ways and on Town owned properties. 

What kind of structural BMPs are best at removing phosphorus before it enters our natural resources?
The EPA has studied and determined that the following BMPs are the most efficient at the removal of phosphorous:

• Infiltration Trench
• Surface Infiltration Practices (i.e., basins, rain gardens and bio-retention)
• Bio-filtration Practice
• Gravel Wetland System
• Enhanced Bio-filtration with Internal Storage Reservoir
• Sand Filter
• Porous Pavement
• Wet Pond or Wet Detention Basin
• Dry Water Quality Grass Swale with Detention
• Impervious Area Disconnection through Storage (e.g., rain barrels cisterns, etc.)
• Impervious Area Disconnection
• Conversions of Impervious Area to Permeable Area
• Soil Amendments to Enhance Permeability or Pervious Areas

How has Dedham funded stormwater infrastructure maintenance in the past?
During the years under the 2003 MS4 permit, the Town was able to meet the requirements/obligations of the permit through operating budgets approved annually at Town Meeting. Those operating costs varied each year , but were approximately $250,000 per year. Under the current 2016 MS4 permit, the Town has met the requirements/obligations through the same operating budgets, but the Town has also requested additional funding through an annual capital appropriation at Town Meeting using free cash. The additional capital appropriations ranged from $200,000 to $400,000 each year, bringing the total budget to approximately $450,000 to $650,000 per year.

How much funding does the Town need to remove the required 891 pounds of phosphorus per year in accordance with the EPA guidelines in our MS4 permit?
Consultants for many other MS4 communities across the Commonwealth have been studying and calculating what the approximate costs will be to remove phosphorous as required under their phosphorus control plan (PCP). Based upon our PCP goals, it is estimated that it will cost approximately $70,000 to remove 1 pound of phosphorous. This includes costs for design/permitting of BMPs that remove phosphorous, the bidding and construction of these BMPs, and the annual inspection and maintenance of these BMPs after installation. Given that Dedham is required to remove 891 pounds of phosphorus per year over the next 15 years, it will cost approximately $4,100,000 per year ($62,000,000 total over 15 years in PCP).

How much money will be raised through this fee for the stormwater utility?
Using the outlined tiered fee structure for all property owners with more than 500 square feet of impervious surface, the Town will raise $4.1 million a year to meet the obligations under our MS4 permit.

Who is getting billed for this fee and when?
All residential properties including single, two and three family dwellings and all non-residential properties including dwellings with 4 or more units, commercial, industrial, warehouse, mixed-use, non-profits (i.e., churches and schools), Town-owned properties and State-owned properties that have at least 500 square feet of impervious surface will be billed. This fee will be included in your existing sewer bill, issued quarterly, starting July 1, 2023.

How is the fee structured?
A fee will be assessed for each residential and non-residential property owner that has a minimum of 500 square feet of impervious surface. The Town is only utilizing building footprints, driveways, and parking lots to determine total impervious area per property. The Town has developed an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) by calculating the average amount of impervious area for all single family dwellings (approx. 6,600 parcel or 83% of all residential parcels). All residential and non-residential properties are then structured into a tiered system based upon their individual impervious area. The resultant fee for each parcel is then calculated using the ERU and the impervious area on a particular parcel. Tables showing the tiered structure and the fee associated with each tier can be found on the page in the section "Tiered Fee Structures".

Who approves the budget for the stormwater utility and sets the rates?
The Town Manager is the acting authority on establishing the annual stormwater budget and setting the fee rates.

How will I receive and pay the stormwater utility fee?
The stormwater utility fee will be included on your existing sewer bill starting on July 1, 2023. The yearly flat fee will be broken up into 4 quarterly payments. The stormwater utility fee will show up on your sewer bill as a new fee item separate from the sewer fees, but will be incorporated into the total amount due for that particular quarterly bill.

For those properties that are on septic and do not receive a sewer bill, they will now start to receive a sewer bill that will have their stormwater utility fee on it. It will state $0 owed in sewer fees, but will have the stormwater fee on it that will be required to be paid.

Your payment options will not change. Property owners have the option to pay online, by mail, or in-person at Town Hall.

What would happen if I do not pay my stormwater utility fee?
Similar to unpaid sewer fees or taxes, the Town will place a lien on your property. This lien would be required to be paid prior to the sale of your property.

Why do we even need a separate fee? Can't this be funded through our annual taxes?
The Town looked at many avenues to determine the best way generate the funding needed to comply with our MS4 permit at the least expense to property owners. By generating the revenue through a fee and not the annual tax property owners will save approximately 45% .

Example: Using our current tax rates for residential properties, a Tier 1 property would have to pay an additional $340 per year in annual taxes, but only pay $181 per year in fees. That is a savings of $158.50 per year.

Why is the Town setting this as a fee and not a tax?

As part of the research to develop this program, the Town sought to find the least expensive option for property owners. After calculating each option, the Town was able to determine that taxpayers will save money if this was billed as a utility fee rather than as a tax. By generating the revenue through a fee and not the annual tax, residential property owners will save approximately 45%. In addition, by utilizing a fee structure instead of a tax, all tax-exempt properties will be required to comply and pay the fee.

Why is everyone getting a bill for this new fee?

All property owners contribute to stormwater runoff, either directly or indirectly, and one major source of untreated stormwater entering our local waters is impervious surface. All residential properties including single, two and three family dwellings and all non-residential properties including dwellings with 4 or more units, commercial, industrial, warehouse, mixed-use, non-profits (i.e., churches and schools), Town-owned properties and State-owned properties that have at least 500 square feet of impervious surface will be billed. 

How is Dedham's stormwater regulated?
In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its first iteration of the Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) permit to cities and towns in the Commonwealth that had existing stormwater infrastructure that discharged stormwater to waters of the United States. This permit is an unfunded mandate that includes various requirements and obligations the Town is required to follow in order to comply with our MS4 permit. There were less than 50 requirements/obligations as part of this permit. In 2016, the EPA issued its second iteration of the MS4 permit formulated from the results of the first permit. This iteration of the MS4 permit is the current permit which contains over 200 requirements/obligations the Town must meet to remain compliant. 

What would happen if the Town is not able to comply with the MS4 permit requirements?
In Appendix B of the current MS4 permit, any MS4 community can face criminal penalties of up to $50,000 per day for negligent and/or knowing violations.

My property is being billed the stormwater utility fee, but all my impervious surfaces are graded to keep all the stormwater on my property. Why do I have to pay the fee if my stormwater doesn't leave my property?
For the Town of Dedham to comply and remain in compliance with the obligations of the MS4 permit, it takes the entire Town to generate the funds. This fee is not a penalty, but is a great great opportunity to invest Dedham's natural resources by improving water quality (reduce impairment levels) that will help to protect public health, wildlife, aquatic life and our environment as a whole.

I think the impervious area shown on my property in the online map is incorrect. Who can I contact to correct this?

After the program begins on July 1, 2023, an appeal form will be available on the Town website for property owners to submit if they believe the impervious area on their properties is not accurately shown or if they believe they were billed incorrectly. Each appeal form will undergo review by Town staff, and if needed, a site visit to verify the property condition from the exterior may be required. Adjustments will be made as applicable and property owners will be notified of any changes to their bill.

What makes up our natural resource areas?
Dedham's natural resource areas are quite extensive and are primarily comprised of approximately 8,325,000 square feet (191 Acres) of wetland, 250 ponds and 160,000 linear feet (30 miles) of streams and rivers.

How does phosphorus enter our natural resource areas and what are its effects?
Excess phosphorous comes from many sources. The most common sources in our area are from lawn fertilizers, leaking septic systems, pet waste and soil erosion. The excess phosphorous that makes it to our natural resources can create significant algae blooms that are damaging to fish and other aquatic species. The algae also releases phosphorous into the water as it decays and while decaying it uses up the oxygen in the water leaving less for the fish and other aquatic species. Some algae can be toxic to people and pets. Excess phosphorous puts a strain on our natural resources, our wildlife and our public health.

How does polluted stormwater affect our natural resource areas?
Dedham has 3 major waterways that cross through Town; Charles River, Neponset River and Mother Brook. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has sampled the quality of our waterways for several decades and have determined they are all impaired with combinations of E. Coli, Fecal coliform, Dissolved Oxygen, Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and Mercury in fish tissue, Total Phosphorous, Nitrogen, Excess Algal Growth, Foam, Scum, Oil Slicks, Milfoil, and Nutrient Eutrophication/Biological Indicators. These impairments have been generated by the polluted stormwater runoff that enters these waterways. The polluted stormwater negatively impacts our environment, public health,  and impacts the fish and wildlife that live and visit these resource areas.