• Stormwater management involves controlling the quantity and quality of runoff that results from rainfall and snowmelt, addressing such issues as flooding, erosion, and Okanagan Lake water quality.

• The City's Infrastructure Division oversees the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of the City’s stormwater infrastructure to ensure required service levels are provided.

• Our stormwater drainage system discharges into nearby creeks, wetlands, or directly to Okanagan Lake without going through a treatment plant. Our drainage system reduces the impact of flooding and pollution to people, property, and the environment. We need to ensure the water draining into our natural and engineered stormwater system is clean and at a rate that does not cause negative impacts to people, property and the environment.

• Many stormwater management assets are buried or located where they cannot easily be seen; this makes stormwater management easy to forget. The City’s stormwater management system includes maintenance holes, catch basins, storm sewers, storm service connections, ditches, outfalls, stormwater management ponds, watercourses and more – all requiring a funding source to maintain, renew (when it deteriorates) and upgrade (to address climate change).

• While property owners currently contribute to stormwater funding based on the assessed value of their property rather than the load they place on the City's stormwater system, there is room for improvement to create a more fair and equitable funding model.

• While property owners have always contributed to funding our stormwater management system, this proposed change to a more equitable fee may mean how much you contribute could also change. Details for the proposed fee are still under consideration by Council. If approved, the amount residential and non-residential properties would pay will vary by property type and the area of hard surface. More details will be available soon.

• Stormwater is the water from rain, melting snow and ice that washes off driveways, parking lots, roads, yards, rooftops and other surfaces.

• When rainfall and snowmelt runs off these surfaces, stormwater reaches waterways faster, in greater volumes and with more pollution.

• Every time it rains or snow melts, our streets, driveways, parking lots and lawns get a bath. Dirt, oil, gasoline, garbage, manure, fertilizers and pesticides are washed into ditches, storm drains or creeks.

• Stormwater and the pollutants in it flow into our creeks, ponds, and lakes through outfalls which are pipes that discharge to a waterway. This can affect the health of our waterways, the surrounding area, as well as the health of the wildlife and fish that rely on them.

• Climate change will increase rainfall intensities which can lead to costly flooding, increased erosion and negative impacts on natural watercourses and Okanagan Lake. The City of Kelowna is building community resilience to the risks of climate change and this program is part of those efforts.

• Our stormwater drainage system discharges into nearby creeks, wetlands, or directly to the Okanagan Lake without going through a treatment plant. Remember, Okanagan Lake is important for drinking water, recreation, and has cultural meaning.

• Property owners have always contributed to funding our stormwater management system.

• Currently the stormwater management program is funded from property taxes which is based on properties’ assessed value. In addition, reserves, development cost charges (DCCs) and grants are leveraged when they are available.

• The City is conducting a study to review and recommend a predictable and dedicated funding source to support the City’s current and future stormwater management program. The goals of the new funding strategy are to:

§ Protect Okanagan Lake water quality

§ Promote good private stormwater practices

§ Be fair and equitable to rate payers

§ Be simple to implement and administer

• This study is looking at the current funding model for stormwater management and will:

§ Identify and evaluate funding options and alternatives

§ Solicit feedback from the public and interested parties

§ Recommend a preferred funding option

§ Present study findings and recommendations to Council

• Phase 1 of the study provided a preliminary look at stormwater funding options for the City of Kelowna. City Council approved proceeding to Phase 2, which will include public consultation, further refinement of viable stormwater funding options, and selection of a preferred stormwater funding model.

• The City is considering a stormwater rate which would charge property owners based on the amount of hard (or impervious) surface on their property. Impervious surfaces cause rain and melted snow to runoff quickly into the City’s natural and engineered stormwater system, carrying pollutants with it. Hard or impervious surfaces, which can easily be measured using aerial photography, typically include roofs, driveways, walkways, parking areas and more.

• A stormwater rate reflects a user-pay concept, similar to the City’s water and wastewater utilities, where charges are determined based on a property’s water consumption.

• A stormwater rate model based on impervious area represents a shift in how Kelowna funds its stormwater management system but will not change what is being funded and the proportion of funds dedicated to the different aspects of the system.

• The two stormwater rate models under consideration are:

§ Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) – all residential units pay the same rate based on average impervious area and non-residential properties will be charged based on actual measured impervious area.

§ Single-Family Unit (SFU) – different residential types (e.g., single family detached homes, townhouses, apartments), pay different amounts based on their average impervious area. This means that smaller residential types, like apartments, will pay less than single-family detached homes. Non-residential properties will be charged based on their actual measured impervious areas.

• The two funding options only differ in how they charge residential properties. Both funding options charge non-residential properties based on actual measured impervious areas.

• The ditches, culverts and creeks in rural areas are also part of the City’s stormwater management system and receive run-off from rural properties. Ditches, culverts and creeks require regular inspection, cleaning and maintenance to keep them working efficiently.

• While rural areas may have lower density of buildings and paved areas compared to urban areas, they still can contribute run-off and pollutants such as sediment and fertilizers during rainstorms, thereby having a negative impact on the water quality of creeks and Okanagan Lake.

• Kelowna's stormwater infrastructure is vital for maintaining passable roadways during rain events, contributing to community safety, prosperity and residents' quality of life.

• If approved, this would be a shift from using general tax revenue to fund stormwater management to a separate stormwater user fee based on impervious area. The amount you pay will no longer be dependent on your property’s assessed value but will better reflect your property’s impact on the City’s stormwater system.

• A financial incentive program that offers credits, rebates and subsidies to properties that reduce their impact on the stormwater system is being considered. The City will seek input from property owners about stormwater financial incentives. Credits are on-going reductions in a property’s stormwater fee, whereas rebates and subsidies are typically one-off financial incentives related to the implementation of an on-site stormwater measure.