West Chester, PA: Stormwater Infrastructure Repair
March 2023 - May 2024
Storm Sewer Relining Locations Map from Engineering Report
Community Description
The Borough of West Chester, founded in the late 18th century, still operates with infrastructure dating back to that era. Located within the Philadelphia metropolitan area, West Chester is a suburban community of approximately 18,600 residents. The median household income is just over $65,000—about 88% of the state median—while more than 25% of residents live below the federal poverty level.
Project Scope
The Borough of West Chester’s storm sewer system is over 100 years old, with some sections still constructed of brick. Due to its age, the system had begun to deteriorate, leading in some cases to road collapses. EPIC collaborated with the Borough and its engineering consultant, Remington and Vernick Engineers (RVE), to develop engineering and design plans, along with cost estimates, to support a funding application to PENNVEST - the Pennsylvania State Revolving Fund program.
Services Provided
EPIC provided project management and led the development of materials for the application to PENNVEST. When the Borough learned it would not qualify for principal forgiveness from PENNVEST and determined that, given the Borough’s revenue constraints, even a low-interest loan was financially unfeasible, EPIC responded by repurposing the materials prepared for the PENNVEST application to develop a grant submission for the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED). This pivot resulted in a successful award of $200,000 to support storm sewer upgrades.
EPIC contracted with RVE for a total of $12,724 for services that included preparing a Preliminary Engineering Report assessing the current condition of the Borough’s aging storm sewer system, as well as development of detailed cost estimates for the proposed improvements. RVE also completed an Alternatives Analysis, evaluating various solutions to address the system’s deficiencies and their associated costs. EPIC’s services included coordinating efforts between the Borough of West Chester and RVE, ensuring that all necessary tasks were completed efficiently and on schedule. EPIC also authored the grant narratives, outlining the project’s scope, objectives, and anticipated outcomes.
Challenges and Opportunities
| Type of Challenge | Project Experience | Outcomes and/or Opportunities |
|---|---|---|
| Financial: Budgetary allocations to operations | The community had no interest in taking out any debt for this project because they did not have a dedicated funding stream (outside of taxes) to pay off a loan, even a low interest one. | Identifying revenue opportunities (outside of stormwater fees) to maintain capital improvements of stormwater infrastructure. |
Project Next Steps
The Borough has implemented a stormwater utility fee to establish a dedicated revenue stream for upgrading its aging storm sewer system. However, the initiative met legal challenges, and the resulting lawsuit left the Borough with less revenue than needed to support this essential capital improvement and is looking for other funding sources to supplement. Looking ahead, a larger and more sustainable funding solution for storm sewer infrastructure—particularly systems tied to roadway infrastructure—could include increased grant opportunities through federal and state departments of transportation. Many cities require storm sewer systems due to impervious surfaces like roads and parking lots, and not all of these assets are municipally owned. Yet, municipalities are typically responsible for maintaining the infrastructure required to manage stormwater runoff. In the absence of a reliable stormwater fee mechanism, local governments may need to explore alternative revenue strategies to finance capital improvements. For West Chester, such measures are critical to preventing further degradation of its brick storm sewer system. Proactive investment in relining and repairs is essential to avoid more costly and disruptive full excavations in the future.