Indiana Town, University Take Charge of Storm Water Fees

The town of Dyer, Ind., formed a partnership with Purdue University Calumet, in which civil engineering students review numbers that support Dyer’s commercial storm water fee schedule, according to the Northwest Indiana Times.

"We'd like to review and revisit as many commercial properties as possible," said Stormwater Board member Ron Hunter. "Some [commercial property owners] may be paying too much."

The board, Purdue officials and students already have met, and the students have been given a select number of properties on which to work. 

Commercial properties are charged storm water fees according to a set of calculations, and students will review those calculations. 

Calculations are made according to a number of factors, according to the number of grassy areas, hard surfaces and buildings on-site.

The program will not impact residential properties and residential fees. All storm water fees are set according to a measuring unit called an equivalent residential unit (ERU), and residential homes are all assigned one ERU apiece.