Cary Council Reviews Stormwater Utility Fee Changes
The Town Council is evaluating a shift from a flat-rate funding model to an impervious surface calculation.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Utilities
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The Cary Town Council recently reviewed potential strategies for restructuring stormwater utility billing. The council is considering transitioning from its current general fund flat-rate system to a model based on property usage.
Why it matters
Local officials are exploring this fee structure to more accurately align the costs of stormwater services with the amount of impervious surface area on individual properties. This shift aims to update the current funding mechanism for town infrastructure.
Corvias Infrastructure Solutions analyzed billing data for 52,000 customers to evaluate potential fee structures. A single Equivalent Residential Unit represents the average impervious surface area for a typical home.
The players
Cary Town Council
This is the governing body for the town of Cary, North Carolina, responsible for setting municipal policy and overseeing town services.
Corvias Infrastructure Solutions
This organization specializes in infrastructure planning and utility financial analysis for municipal clients.
The details
The town currently uses a flat-rate model funded through its general fund to cover stormwater services. Proposed changes involve an Equivalent Residential Unit system that calculates individual fees based on the specific square footage of a property's impervious surface area.
Timeline
The Cary Town Council met on October 27, 2026, to discuss the proposed billing strategies.
Market Landscape
The town's review follows a broader national trend where municipalities are moving toward user-fee models for utility management. This shift aligns Cary with similar cities that have moved away from general fund reliance to specialized stormwater utility funding.
Property owners in Cary could eventually see a change in how stormwater fees are billed compared to the current flat-rate system. While the council took no immediate action, any future implementation would likely link costs directly to individual property footprints.
The takeaway
Town leaders are in the preliminary stages of evaluating how to better fund stormwater management through property-based fees. Residents should monitor future council agendas for any updates on potential changes to utility billing methodologies.
Further reading
For additional context on town services, see the Utilities section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WRAL.
Live Poll
Do you support calculating local stormwater fees based on property impervious surface area?
