Storm Water

I spent today shadowing a worker who specializes in Storm Water. I met with him at 5am to go out and check the mosquito traps he set the night before. The town traps and tests mosquitoes weekly. The purpose to is determine if any of the species of mosquitoes in the town carry West Nile or any other viruses that could harm people. The town has never had a single case. The town next to us had a case of West Nile because a resident purchased a plant from Africa over the internet. The plant was shipped with mosquito eggs already laid on the plant. When she watered it they began to grow. She kept wondering where all of the bugs came from because she never noticed them outside. The doctors figured out it was the plant she kept inside the house.
Mosquitoes are only one part of his job. He drafts and oversees the towns numerous storm water infrastructure. This infrastructure can be culverts than run under roads to channel water or grates on the side of the road that water flows into. They have excellent software that maps out each location and shows a picture of the infrastructure. They also have a guy who is on call who comes back to work if there is a severe storm or flood.
The funding for this department is very unique considering what they do. The water department in many other communities is actually a utility. They meter and bill citizens based off of usage, exactly like a power plant. Storm water is also categorized as a utility that gets inserted with the Water bill but is separate from everything else. The rate everyone pays is the same because the service the storm guys provide makes sure that roads, washes and all other property stay clean and clear from debris and dirt before, during and after storms. Everyone pays about $6.50 quarterly.
This funding is plenty for the Storm departments vehicles, equipment and people. The best thing about having Storm as a utility is that the revue they generate can only be used by them. Their budgets don’t face cuts when sales tax revenue falls. This is good because even though the economy is slow and people are shopping less does not mean there is less flooding and rain.