In 2019, Governor Murphy signed the Clean Stormwater and Flood Reduction Act into law. Since that time, municipalities around the State have been investigating the opportunity this legislation provides to have an equitable and stable funding source to help manage the increasing storm.
A stormwater utility permits a small fee to be assessed on property owners based on the amount of impervious cover they own. The stormwater utility then uses the fee income to create infrastructure to convey and treat the stormwater running off impervious surfaces, and therefore reduces flooding and improves water quality. Stormwater utilities will also make provisions for property owners to reduce their fee by creating onsite green infrastructure projects, such as bioswales and raingardens, to reduce their stormwater runoff.