Provo approves $76.8m stormwater master plan, shifts to ERU-based impact fees

Provo approves $76.8m stormwater master plan, shifts to ERU-based impact feesThe Utah municipality has adopted a new machine learning-backed stormwater master plan, identifying a $76.8 million project pipeline and restructuring its impact fees to target impervious surface areas.

The newly approved Storm Drain Master Plan identifies $76.8 million in capital improvement projects, with $25.8 million eligible for impact fee funding.

Provo is shifting its stormwater impact fee from a gross acreage rate of $8,262.93 per acre to an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) model set at $1,477 per ERU.

The city utilized machine learning to delineate directly connected impervious areas, allowing for higher resolution drainage basin modeling.

Councilors also unanimously approved an updated Wastewater Collection Master Plan, identifying $5 million in annual pipeline rehabilitation needs.

The Provo Municipal Council unanimously approved an amendment to the city's General Plan on June 23, 2026, adopting a newly updated Storm Drain Master Plan that outlines a $76.8 million backlog of capital improvement projects. Developed in collaboration with consulting firm Hanson Allen Luce, the master plan leverages machine learning to identify directly connected impervious surfaces across the city. This high-resolution modeling allows the city to more accurately predict peak flow rates, distinguish between connected and unconnected impervious areas, and prioritize flood mitigation projects. Of the $76.8 million in identified stormwater infrastructure needs, city staff estimate that $25.8 million will be eligible for impact fee funding to service future growth. To address the remaining $50 million gap—which largely stems from legacy developments built before modern stormwater regulations were enacted in the early 1990s—the city will utilize its annual capital project funds to systematically target the most deficient areas. The master plan also introduces a major structural change to Provo's stormwater impact fees. Historically, the city assessed fees based on gross acreage at a rate of $8,262.93 per acre. Under the newly approved plan, Provo will transition to an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) approach, charging $1,477 per ERU. According to Kacen Schurz, a consultant with Hanson Allen Luce, the ERU model ensures that properties with greater impervious surface areas pay a proportionate share of infrastructure costs. Moving forward, the city plans to update its impact fees annually to prevent sudden rate spikes and provide cost certainty for the development community. In a related infrastructure action during the same meeting, the council unanimously approved an update to the city's Wastewater Collection Master Plan. Presented by Water Resources Engineer Lane Pierce and prepared by Bowen and Collins, the wastewater plan did not recommend new impact fees or rate changes. However, it indicated that Provo's existing sewer system is operating with good capacity and outlined an ongoing need of approximately $5 million annually for pipeline rehabilitation and replacement based on an average 70-year asset lifespan.