Stormwater fees rising in Mt. P., not Dorchester

In the fiscal year starting July 1, Mount Pleasant will spend $100,000 as part of a federally mandated effort to reduce pollution in rainwater that washes from homes and businesses into its drainage system, Town Administrator Mac Burdette said Monday.

The program, which will take about five years to fully implement, will include water-quality monitoring, the mapping of town drainage, identifying and eliminating pollution sources and public education about reducing stormwater contaminants from sources such as pet waste and yard fertilizer.

Burdette estimated that stormwater fees for homeowners would rise from the current annual rate of $18 to $22 to help cover the costs of the program.

"We're going to come back and ask you to increase the stormwater fee," he said. Commercial fees are calculated based on a formula that considers square footage and parking area.

Meanwhile, Dorchester County farmers got a reprieve from a stormwater fee increase that many said would put them out of business.

The county will not increase the fee this year, council told more than 100 farmers and timberland owners who turned out Monday night to oppose the proposed increase.

The current fee is $29.20 a year on every parcel. The new fee would depend on how the land is used and the size.

"All of us in here are concerned about pollution," Frank Fralix, who owns 100 acres near St. George, told council's public works committee. "Nobody wants to live in a dirty place. You're placing the burden on the landowners of the county."

Pete Weathers, who owns timberland near St. George, told council his fees would go up from $378 to $5,100 a year.

"Maybe we better … stop putting all this pavement everywhere and we would be better off," Weathers said.

Public Works Committee member Mike Murphree said council won't consider raising the fees again without involving the timberland owners and farmers, he said.

"I understand the frustration," Murphree said. "This is absolutely ludicrous."

Council did not vote on the proposed increase because it didn't get out of committee.

In giving the Mount Pleasant Town Council Public Works Committee an update on the town's progress toward compliance with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Stormwater Program, Burdette gave a warning.

"This thing has the potential to be a huge nightmare," Burdette said.

Nearly half of the $100,000 will go to hire and pay the annual salary and benefits of a staffer to manage the stormwater program, he said.

Burdette complained that towns, cities and counties are required to pay for the federal program because the General Assembly passed the costs to local government.

The state Department of Health and Environmental Control enforces stormwater monitoring.

"They intend to put the hammer down," Burdette said.

Richland County was fined $1 million for noncompliance, he said. DHEC did not confirm that fine when asked for comment on Monday.

Council members expressed concern about the scope of the stormwater program.

"This is a huge undertaking. We've got a lot of drainage," said Councilman Nick Collins.

Councilman Kruger Smith worried that the town would be responsible for stormwater pollution that flows into it from other areas.

"Where does it stop? Does it stop at our municipal borders?" he said.

The stormwater program has proven controversial in Charleston County.

About 35,000 property owners living outside the municipalities are charged $36 monthly for stormwater fees. At least 2,000 county residents appealed the fees last year.

Charges for residential stormwater drainage vary: Charleston charges $72 annually, North Charleston mails annual $24 bills, Summerville charges homeowners the same as Charleston County but it does not bill for undeveloped lots.

Reach Prentiss Findlay at 937-5711 or pfindlay@postandcourier.com. Reach Dave Munday at 745-5862 or dmunday@postandcourier.com.