Cobb County Water System (CCWS) currently spends about $8.5 million each year on stormwater management services.
The current budget does not provide sufficient funding to properly maintain stormwater infrastructure and has resulted in a backlog of maintenance and repairs. Also, there has been pressure from the public to provide additional services. To address these challenges, CCWS researched services provided by other stormwater utilities in Georgia to determine how our program compares. Several options for improving services have been proposed with itemized expenses for each of these services. Cobb County is in the process of determining what level of stormwater service to provide and how to fund it. Stormwater is currently funded through water and sewer fees with customers in unincorporated Cobb receiving stormwater services paying higher rates than customers within city limits who do not. A separate dedicated stormwater fee based on the amount of impervious surface on a property is being considered. Many cities and counties in Georgia charge such a fee including Acworth, Kennesaw, Powder Springs, and Smyrna.
If you have any questions after reviewing the additional information provided in the links below, please contact us at stormwaterfunding@cobbcounty.org.
The Water System recently presented information on:
- Overview of Stormwater in Cobb County
- Services and Costs
- Code Amendments
- Next Steps
Click to view presentations.
Currently, funding for stormwater services in Cobb is accomplished by charging higher fees for water and sewer services and budgeting a portion of the Water System's total revenue for stormwater. The proposed stormwater fee is based on the amount of impervious surface area (rooftops, pavement, etc.), ensuring properties that generate more stormwater runoff volume pay for their share of impact to the stormwater system.
Services include:
- Water Quality Compliance
- Stormwater Infrastructure Repairs & Maintenance
- Plan Review and Zoning
- Flood Management
CCWS provides services that other utilities do not provide, such as accepting detention ponds in new subdivisions. There are services some other utilities provide that CCWS does not currently provide, like maintaining open channels for a short distance from the end of a public pipe.
A plat is the formal record of your subdivision as recorded with the Superior Court.
The storm drainage system is a network of pipes, open channels, and other structures that collect and transport stormwater runoff to the nearest stream or lake. Cobb County’s Extent of Service diagrams describe the components of the storm drainage system maintained by the County.
The storm drainage system is a network of pipes, open channels, and other structures that collect and transport stormwater runoff to the nearest stream or lake. Cobb County’s Extent of Service diagrams describe the components of the storm drainage system maintained by the County.