On January 22, the Savannah City Council approved the implementation of a Stormwater Utility fee and a service delivery plan aimed at improving stormwater management and addressing flooding across the city.
This decision creates a dedicated funding source to support both maintenance and necessary upgrades to Savannah’s drainage infrastructure. The move is intended to allow the city to take a proactive approach in managing its stormwater system rather than reacting to issues as they arise.
Mayor Van R. Johnson, II commented on the council’s action, stating, “Our residents have consistently asked us to do something significant about our persistent flooding. We can’t just sit around and hope things get better. We pray and we work—and this is the work part. I’m proud that the majority of this Council took responsibility, planned for the long term, and made the decision to ensure Savannah has the resources it needs to protect our neighborhoods, our businesses, and our future.”
Savannah maintains one of Georgia’s most extensive stormwater drainage systems, with about 400 miles of pipes, 150 miles of ditches or canals, and thousands of catch basins. Many components are aging and face increased pressure from limited capacity as well as factors like more intense rainfall events and rising sea levels.
Previously, funding for drainage projects came from sources such as federal grants, Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds, and allocations from the general fund. However, these were not sufficient for consistent long-term improvements.
City Manager Jay Melder said: “For years, Savannah has addressed stormwater and flooding challenges project by project, often relying on limited or one-time funding sources. The Stormwater Utility allows us to take a long-term, planned approach, so we can maintain what we have, invest where the need is greatest, and build a system that’s better prepared for the future. This is about moving from reacting to flooding to preventing it.”
Over ten years of study led city staff to recommend creating this dedicated program funding mechanism. With council approval now secured, there will be a stable base for ongoing investments in drainage improvements.
The new Stormwater Utility will function as an enterprise fund supported by user fees similar to other city utilities like water or sewer services. Fees will be calculated based on impervious surface area on properties—a measure linked directly with runoff volume each property contributes.
Revenue collected through this utility must be used exclusively for operations such as system maintenance, meeting regulatory requirements, capital projects focused on reducing flood risk across neighborhoods citywide.
Ron Feldner, Chief of Water Resources stated: “Savannah’s stormwater system is extensive and complex, and much of it is aging. Establishing the Stormwater Utility gives us a stable, dedicated, and adequate funding source to move from reactive, short-term fixes to more proactive, systemwide improvements. This improved responsiveness will result in better maintenance, smarter capital investments, and progress toward reducing flooding impacts in all neighborhoods across the city.”
The service delivery plan aims not only at compliance but also at enabling longer-term planning for maintaining reliable infrastructure throughout Savannah.
Further information about how this utility operates can be found at savannahga.gov/stormwaterutility.
