Briefing: Stormwater Showdown
For the last several years, the city of Worcester has been embroiled in a fight with the federal Environmental Protection Agency over its stormwater system. The EPA says too much pollution from city streets and parking lots is finding its way into local bodies of water, but the city argues that bringing the system up to the level the agency demands would cost ratepayers too much. A new report from the Worcester Regional Research Bureau explores the question.
What is the EPA’s stance?
According to the report, the agency will probably issue the city a new storm-water discharge permit requirement, which was first drafted in 2008, within the next several months. It says the standards are necessary to bring the city into compliance with the Clean Water Act.
What’s the city’s argument against the EPA?
The city argues that stormwater discharge permits shouldn’t be based on water quality standards, but simply reduce pollution to the “maximum extent practicable.” The report suggests the new permit language isn’t absolutely clear on what standards would apply, but it seems to require the city to prevent discharges from contributing to the pollution levels in local water bodies that exceed quality standards.
What bodies of water are affected by polluted runoff?
Worcester empties stormwater runoff into bodies of water including Indian Lake, Lake Quinsigamond and the Blackstone River. Virtually all lakes and rivers in Worcester are “impaired,” with issues including high algae levels, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. That can make them inhospitable for fish and unappealing for swimming.
How expensive would it be to comply with the EPA language?
The parties differ on that too, with the city arguing it would cost more than a billion dollars, while the EPA puts it at under $20 million. The report says the average city sewer fee has already risen almost 200 percent over the past decade, to $314 a year, with most of the increase due to stricter EPA standards.
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