Stormwater Authority (SWA)
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- James Cochran, Chairman (2025)
- Richard Castranio, Vice Chairman (2028)
- Kenneth Martin, Board Secretary (2026)
- Eric Fairchild (2027)
- Phil Walsh (2024)
The Upper Allen Township Stormwater Authority (SWA) was established by Upper Allen Township on June 20, 2018. The board consists of five (5) members appointed by the Board of Commissioners who serve a five-year term.
The SWA was created by the Township Board of Commissioners for the sole purpose of repairing and improving the Township’s extensive system of stormwater infrastructure and program. It is the objective of the Authority to fulfill this mission in a way that is fair to all residents and taxpayers of the Township. For more information on the Township’s stormwater/MS4 program, please click here.
Click here for meeting agendas and minutes.
Stormwater Utility Fee Credit ProgramOn Wednesday, December 18, 2019, the Upper Allen Township Stormwater Authority approved the Stormwater Utility Fee Credit & Adjustment Policy (Resolution 10) and Stormwater Utility Fee Credit Manual. Property owners can now apply to receive a credit on their stormwater fee by installing and maintaining stormwater treatment practices and for participating in hands-on activities.
There are several different credits and reduction options available to residents, businesses, churches, non-profits, and industries. These include:
- Permeable Surface Systems
- Structural BMP
- Best Management Practice Easement
- Low Impact Parcel
- Rain Barrels
- Adopt-an-Inlet
- NPDES Stormwater Permit Compliance
- Conservation Plan
- Innovation Credit
Please note, credits are applied directly to the amount of impervious area and not directly to the Utility Fee. Property owners are not eligible to reduce their designated ERUs to a value less than 0.5 ERUs for single-family residential parcels and not less than 1.0 ERUs for non-residential parcels. To be eligible for a credit, there must not be any outstanding and unpaid Utility Fees. Credits cannot be applied to previous billing cycles, with the exception of the Conservation Plan credit.
Additionally, the Township Authority has an inventory of existing Structural Best Management Practices (BMPs) that were constructed as part of previously approved land development plans. The existing Structural BMPs included in this inventory are not eligible to receive the Structural BMP credit, as credit was already taken for these facilities through the creation of the Township’s Combined Pollutant Reduction Plan. Please check with the Township to see if your property is included in the list prior applying.
The Stormwater Utility Fee Credit Policy, Manual and Application can be found:
Stormwater Utility Fee Credit Manual and Application
Stormwater Utility Fee Credit & Adjustment Policy
Stormwater Fee Newsletter/Outreach
- Upper Allen Press Release on Stormwater Fees
- 2nd Stormwater Press Release
- 2021 Winter Newsletter
- 2022 Spring Newsletter
User Fee Appeal Form and Public Outreach For the public meetings held on 9/12/18 and 10/2/18:
Stormwater Fee Frequently Asked Questions
A Stormwater Fee is a “fee for service” based on the cost to manage stormwater that runs off impervious areas. All money collected by the fee can only be used for stormwater management activities.
The fees are all based on the amount of impermeable surface on a property that will not allow rain water to seep into the ground (i.e. buildings and parking areas). A Township-wide survey that found the average single-family lot has 4,206-square-feet of impervious coverage, which became the basis for one ERU or Equivalent Residential Unit. The value of a single ERU is $66 per year ($16.50 per quarter) to cover the cost of the anticipated $1 million annual stormwater management budget.
Every property owner will be charged a fee based on the number of ERUs found on their property, which will be multiplied by $16.50 to determine the quarterly charge. This area was measured on aerial photography using computer mapping software.
Every property owner will be charged a fee based on the number of ERUs found on their property, which will be multiplied by $16.50 to determine the quarterly charge. This area was measured on aerial photography using computer mapping software.
Impervious surfaces are hard surfaces that do not allow rain or snowmelt to infiltrate at the same rate as natural surfaces such as grass or dirt. They include rooftops, driveways, patios, parking lots, sidewalks, and other man-made structures.
The primary reason for assessing the stormwater fee instead of raising property taxes is to link the amount that each property pays to the amount of stormwater that is generated on the property. There is not necessarily a correlation between the tax-assessed value of a property and the amount of stormwater that the property generates.
Additionally, some properties are exempt from taxes, but all properties contribute stormwater runoff and should pay the stormwater fee just like all properties have other utility bills like water, sewer, electric, etc. Furthermore, the revenue can only be used for stormwater management and cannot be redirected for other uses in the way that tax revenues can. This ensures that the Township will have funds to meet all MS4 program requirements.
Additionally, some properties are exempt from taxes, but all properties contribute stormwater runoff and should pay the stormwater fee just like all properties have other utility bills like water, sewer, electric, etc. Furthermore, the revenue can only be used for stormwater management and cannot be redirected for other uses in the way that tax revenues can. This ensures that the Township will have funds to meet all MS4 program requirements.
Yes, the Township has had a stormwater system for a long time. The Township was first regulated under the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program in 2003. The MS4 program is a collection of unfunded mandates that are handed down by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and administered in Pennsylvania by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Prior to 2018, the Township was able to comply with these unfunded mandates using revenue from normal tax collections. Many new federal and state requirements were introduced in March of 2018 under the Township’s five-year National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to combat the water pollution problems into the Cedar Run and Yellow Breeches creeks, as well as their tributaries.
The most important (and costly) of these is the requirement for the Township to implement a Pollutant Reduction Plan (PRP). Compliance with these unfunded mandates is expected to cost the Township over $2.8 million over the next five years. Complying with all the regulations is expected to cost $1 million annually. Tax revenue alone is no longer sufficient to pay for these costs of compliance, so a dedicated stormwater management fee is necessary now even though it has not been necessary in the past.
Prior to 2018, the Township was able to comply with these unfunded mandates using revenue from normal tax collections. Many new federal and state requirements were introduced in March of 2018 under the Township’s five-year National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to combat the water pollution problems into the Cedar Run and Yellow Breeches creeks, as well as their tributaries.
The most important (and costly) of these is the requirement for the Township to implement a Pollutant Reduction Plan (PRP). Compliance with these unfunded mandates is expected to cost the Township over $2.8 million over the next five years. Complying with all the regulations is expected to cost $1 million annually. Tax revenue alone is no longer sufficient to pay for these costs of compliance, so a dedicated stormwater management fee is necessary now even though it has not been necessary in the past.
- Regulatory Compliance for increasing state and federal requirements
- Stormwater system cleaning and repairs
- Capital projects, including the following:
- Mandated pollution reductions
- Drainage Improvement projects to address local flooding
- Major Drainage projects needed to improve the Township’s stormwater system
The stormwater fee will be billed quarterly. The first fee would appear as a separate charge in the January 2019 sewer bill. Property owners not connected to the public sewer would receive a standalone bill.
Undeveloped or vacant parcels and parcels with less than 2,123SF of impervious area will assessed one-half (.50) an ERU $33 per year
Yes, there were public meetings for the stormwater fee held on September 12 and October 2, 2018. Public Comment periods were also accessible at the Board of Commissioners’ and Stormwater Authority’s meetings. The meetings were announced via the Township website, newsletters, newspaper, and media sites. Resolution 3, establishing the Township's Stormwater Utility Fee was approved on November 20, 2018. Utility fee bills were mailed to property owners beginning in January 2019.
No. Even if stormwater does not flow directly to the street or into a storm drain, all runoff accumulates pollutants as it travels across land. The storm drain system allows for the continuity of traffic, commerce and public safety in the event of a storm. Furthermore, the removal of pollutants from our waterways is necessary for the long-term health and vitality of our community. Everyone benefits from those conditions regardless of how runoff may be directed on their personal property.
Additionally, all property owners benefit from services provided by the Township that are beyond their property lines, such as permit compliance, MS4 system maintenance, street sweeping, storm clean-up, and stormwater improvements throughout the Township. The MS4 and roadway drainage systems serve all residents and allow people to commute to work, school, church, local businesses, parks, etc. Stormwater management is a community-wide service and the program costs need to be distributed to all property owners.
Additionally, all property owners benefit from services provided by the Township that are beyond their property lines, such as permit compliance, MS4 system maintenance, street sweeping, storm clean-up, and stormwater improvements throughout the Township. The MS4 and roadway drainage systems serve all residents and allow people to commute to work, school, church, local businesses, parks, etc. Stormwater management is a community-wide service and the program costs need to be distributed to all property owners.
All properties in the Township contribute stormwater to the system, so all should contribute to the costs of operating the system. A portion of the fee’s revenues will be used to maintain and to make water quality improvements to the existing system, including the one in your neighborhood. As facilities age, they require a higher level of maintenance and eventual replacement.
No, Upper Allen will take care of stormwater pipes within easements and rights-of-way. Property owners are responsible for mowing and general landscape care in easements, as well as other yard areas, including portions of the right-of-way that front on their property.
Yes, gravel and compacted stone are considered impervious because this material, used for roads and parking lots, is engineered and compacted to withstand heavy loads. These compacted materials form a seal through which water will not readily infiltrate.
Yes, the Upper Allen Stormwater Authority (SWA) has approved an appeals process. The appeal form and instructions are available on this web page, as well as the Applications page, and at the Township building. Property owners must prove either the square footage of impervious area listed for their property is incorrect or there was a mathematical error in the fee calculation. Please note: in no event shall any property be charged less than half (.50) of an ERU.
Meetings are held the third Wednesday every month at 6:00 P.M.
Each property shall initially be charged a utility fee of half (.5) an ERU through a quarterly billing process. All properties shall be billed on a quarterly basis based upon the additional number of square feet of measured Impervious Surface. Therefore, in no event shall any such property be charged less than half (.50) of an ERU.
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