Comments on The Vigorous North: Where not to go swimming in Casco Bay

Aha... now I see part of the problem... and maybe ...

2012-02-03T13:49:01.569-05:00

Aha... now I see part of the problem... and maybe part of the solution: http://www.pressherald.com/news/mistake-in-brewerys-sewer-bill-costs-city_2012-02-03.html

^ Precisely. That's why adding a fee based on ...

2011-06-21T12:48:51.758-04:00

^ Precisely. That's why adding a fee based on how much runoff a property generates is so important. Under the current system (where sewer charges are only tied to the amount of water you use), homeowners and renters will bear most of the burden, even though parking lots and rooftops cause most of the problem.

And to your earlier comment, yes: anything you send down the drain during a strong rain is probably going to end up in the bay. So, to the extent possible, postponing your laundry, showers, dishwashing, and toilet flushings for drier weather does make a difference.

P.S. Just read in the Press Herald about the prop...

2011-06-21T11:51:35.016-04:00

P.S. Just read in the Press Herald about the proposal to get the sewer fix done faster, with the plan of paying for it by tripling sewer charges. Wow-- that is non-trivial. I own a 2BR condo in Portland which I rent to a young couple... tripled sewer fees would mean I'd have to raise their rent by about $75 a month just to cover! They will not be happy about that...

"...charging a fee in proportion to the amoun...

2011-06-21T06:54:33.740-04:00

"...charging a fee in proportion to the amount of sewage and stormwater their properties send"

Well, property owners are already charged for sewage-- when you get your water bill, you pay a certain amount for each cubic foot of water, and a separate amount (considerably more, actually) for the disposal of same. But I like the idea of charging for runnoff. (Kind of funny, though-- in some arid places out west, homeowners are not ALLOWED to keep their roof runoff, e.g. for watering the garden-- and here, you're suggesting charging people if the don't do so...)

Also, as a small practical suggestion-- suppose everyone in Portland adhered to a system of "If it's yellow, let it mellow - If it's brown, flush it down" during periods of wet weather? If one were to assume, say, that the yellow:brown ratio is about 3:1, would this make a meaningful impact on avoiding overflow? (This policy is already in general practice at my house, for various reasons.)