Water Sector News
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To fix Anchorage’s aging pipes, city pursues new stormwater utility
Anchorage’s maze of hundreds of miles of aging drainpipes needs extensive repairs to reduce problems with flooding and sinkholes, city officials say.
To make the fixes, they're exploring the creation of a stormwater utility for the Anchorage Bowl.
It'd be the first of its kind in Alaska, and would result in regular stormwater utility bills for Anchorage property owners, just like water and sewage bills, according to Jason Bockenstedt, deputy chief of staff for Mayor Ethan Berkowitz.
There is more research, layers of approval and questions to answer before a utility is started, including how much Anchorage businesses and homeowners would pay. That’s part of the next phase of work, Bockenstedt said. The city is negotiating a contract with a consultant to create a stormwater utility master plan and rate structure options.
“There is a lot of work ahead, there is a lot of public involvement, there are a lot of meetings that are going to happen,” said Bockenstedt.