SAVANNAH – The City of Savannah will host a series of evening community engagement meetings November 10, 12, and 13 to share, discuss, and request feedback from residents about a proposed Stormwater Utility for the City of Savannah Stormwater Program.
The City held six community meetings in April 2025. This is the second set of public meetings on the enhancements to the City Stormwater Management Program that will utilize increased funding from a proposed Stormwater Utility.
The November 2025 round of meetings will include specific information about projects, service delivery, and projected Stormwater Utility user fees for each customer type. Residents and businesses are encouraged to attend any of the three meetings and will have the opportunity to learn about the proposed utility, ask questions, and provide feedback.
The City of Savannah faces numerous challenges related to stormwater drainage including an aging and expanding infrastructure, flood mitigation, and a changing climate that has produced more intense storms.
Historically, the City has used a combination of funding sources including federal grants, Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds, and general fund appropriations to address drainage issues.
Over the last 10 years, City staff have researched and explored the creation of a dedicated funding mechanism through a new Stormwater Utility to help alleviate the long-term financial burden of future stormwater system management service delivery. On Tuesday, voters approved SPLOST 8. For the City of Savannah’s revenue share of the penny tax, $60 million has been allocated to address eight large-scale stormwater drainage projects.
Expedited implementation of the City’s existing capital project list is planned as a result of the proposed Stormwater Utility revenue coming in annually.
The proposed new Stormwater Utility will also focus on enhanced stormwater drainage system maintenance, water quality management, and regulatory compliance. Over time, the Stormwater Utility will also reduce reliance on General Fund appropriations in the coming fiscal years.
For more information about the proposed Stormwater Utility and the upcoming meetings, visit savannahga.gov/stormwaterutility.
What: SWU Meeting for Aldermanic Districts 4 and 6
When: Monday, Nov. 10, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Where: Savannah Tech, Eckberg Auditorium, 5717 White Bluff Rd.
What: SWU Meeting for Aldermanic Districts 2 and 3
When: Wednesday, Nov. 12, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Where: Pennsylvania Avenue Resource Center (PARC), 425 Pennsylvania Ave.
What: SWU Meeting for Aldermanic Districts 1 and 5
When: Thursday, Nov. 13, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Where: Beach High School, 3001 Hopkins St.
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More Information
Proposed Stormwater Utility Program Introduction
Background
Historically, most local governments fund their Stormwater Management Program services via General Fund appropriations (i.e. property and sales taxes), but within the last 10 to 20 years there has been a shift in the service delivery and funding model regarding SWMP services.
This shift was initially implemented in Griffin, Georgia in 1998 with an additional 75+ cities and counties in Georgia implementing SWUs in Georgia over the last 25 years. There are currently 78 active SWUs in Georgia, 214 in nearby Florida, and 44 in South Carolina. According to a 2023 Western Kentucky University Stormwater Utility Survey, the total number of SWUs in the United States exceeds 2,100.
The local governments in Georgia that have implemented the Stormwater Utility concept range in size from Senoia, Georgia (population 5,600) to Albany, Georgia (66,000) to Augusta-Richmond County, Georgia (202,000). Several coastal Georgia cities have implemented a Stormwater Utility over the last 15 years including Garden City, Richmond Hill, Statesboro, Brunswick, and Hinesville.
The City of Savannah has explored the Stormwater Utility concept at least twice over the last 15 years by completing feasibility study level analysis. Those previous studies occurred via private consultant projects in 2008 and 2018 as well as an internal effort by City staff in 2023 that updated the 2018 consultant study.
In May 2024, the City issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a study to examine the level, cost, and extent of services currently being provided and how they would change under a new Stormwater Utility. In August 2024, City Council approved a $300,000 contract with Stantec Consulting Services to conduct the new study.