Cobb County Chairwoman Lisa Cupid has provided further details on the proposed stormwater utility fee, which will be considered at the upcoming Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday, Nov. 20. The proposal seeks to address concerns about funding and maintaining the county’s aging stormwater infrastructure.
Cupid explained that a stormwater utility fee is already in use in more than 60 jurisdictions across Georgia and over 1,500 municipalities nationwide. She stated, “This is not a ‘rain tax’ — it’s a fee-for-service model similar to water and sewer charges.” Several Metro Atlanta jurisdictions have implemented similar fees, including the City of Austell, City of Kennesaw, City of Powder Springs, City of Smyrna, City of Johns Creek, City of Peachtree Corners, Gwinnett County, and DeKalb County.
According to Cupid, the current system links stormwater costs to water consumption. She noted that this approach does not accurately reflect who generates runoff because it ignores impervious surfaces such as pavement or roofs that prevent water from soaking into the ground. Additionally, she pointed out that around 6,700 properties in unincorporated Cobb contribute to the system but do not pay for it since they receive water from municipal systems outside the county.
Cupid addressed misconceptions regarding homeowner liability under the proposal: “It does NOT make individual homeowners financially responsible for countywide stormwater repairs. It does NOT expose homeowners to ‘tens of thousands of dollars’ in repair bills.” She also confirmed there is a comprehensive plan identifying specific infrastructure needs.
Addressing concerns about liens on property due to unpaid fees or repairs conducted by the county on private infrastructure impacting neighbors’ properties, Cupid said: “Some people have expressed concern that liens mean the County will take someone’s home. This is absolutely false.” She clarified that liens would only ensure repayment if repairs are made by the county and would not result in property seizure.
The proposed code update aims to provide clear authority for addressing private residential stormwater issues—such as failed pipes or dams—that may damage neighboring properties. Similar authority already exists for other situations involving county intervention under existing codes.
Under the new plan, residential property owners would pay a $4.75 monthly fee dedicated to maintaining infrastructure like pipes built decades ago and detention ponds owned by the county. Commercial properties would pay based on their impervious surface area using formulas common throughout Georgia communities. Property owners could also earn credits for implementing best practices that reduce runoff.
Cupid referenced previous flooding events—including those in September 2021—which highlighted deficiencies in Cobb’s infrastructure. She emphasized ongoing efforts for transparency: “We’ve held numerous public meetings…provided additional information…and listened to feedback.”
She concluded with an invitation for residents to participate: “The final public hearing is Thursday, Nov. 20 at 6:00 PM. I encourage everyone to attend…and make their voices heard based on accurate information rather than fear-mongering.”
Additional information can be found at https://www.cobbcounty.gov/water/stormwater-management/funding.
Meanwhile, enrollment at Cobb County schools increased slightly by less than 0.1% during the 2022-23 school year compared with the previous year (https://www.gadoe.org/). In total, Cobb County schools enrolled 115,076 students during this period (https://www.gadoe.org/), with white students making up about one-third (33%) of all students (https://www.gadoe.org/).
