Metro Council Member Emily Evans brought her informative presentation on the challenges that Metro Water Services faces in the coming budget cycle. It is obvious that the chickens are coming home to roost this year due to past councils that lacked the wisdom to help fund stormwater upgrades.
One appalling fact that I learned from CM Evans last night was that commercial parking lots around Downtown do not have to pay any sewer fees to Metro Water despite the fact that their impermeable properties shed more stormwater than less paved properties. Not only do they shed more water, but that water is more polluted by automobile fluids and other waste material than water that runs off of permeable, greener properties.
These commercial property owners need to start paying their fair share of stormwater control and water treatment. Metro Council should approve a fee structure for them.
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