Session 4 Retrofit Costs, Delivery and Maintenance
Session 4 Agenda 1. Comparative Costs of Retrofitting 2. Tips on Retrofit Delivery 3. Incentive Programs for Residential LID Retrofits 4. Retrofit Maintenance, Tracking and Verification
Key Resources on your Disc Appendix E of Stormwater Retrofit Practices Cost Info in Retrofit Profile Sheets in Chapter 2 of Manual
The Costs of Retrofitting
Retrofit Construction Costs for Existing BMPs (per impervious acre treated) BMP Conversions: BMP Enhancements: BMP Restoration: 5 to 15 K 5 to 10 K 2 to 5 K Less excavation, modify plumbing, own or control land, strong neighborhood support
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Dealing with the Local BMP Legacy Thirty Years of BMPs. The BMP Inventory in a Maryland County (2006) Potentially High Performers Known Low Performers Bioretention/Dry Swales 49 Underground 270 Detention Sand Filters 279 Dry Ponds 528 Wet pond 212 Oil Grit Separators 805 Pond Wetland 98 Proprietary Practices 239 Infiltration Basin 58 Flow Splitter 321 Infiltration Trench 459 Other (plunge pools) 30 Grand Total 3350
Comparative New Retrofit Construction Costs * (per impervious acre treated) New Retrofits: 12 to 30 K Non-residential LID: 40 to 80 K * Residential LID: 80 to 120 K * Green Streets: 100 to 150 K * * Demonstration project phase, should drop
Caveats on Retrofit Cost Numbers Enormous variation within each retrofit category depending on site conditions These estimates represent the 25% easiest Major influence of the prototype effect CSN to do retrofit cost survey in 2012 2013 to get better estimates
Breakdown of Retrofit Costs 1. Discovery Costs 2. Project Evaluation Costs 3. Design, Engineering and Permitting 4. Contracting 5. Construction 6. Retrofit Maintenance
Discovery Costs Cost to identify candidate sites for potential retrofits Involves desktop GIS analysis and subsequent field investigation Two options: 1. Comprehensive subwatershed evaluation 2. Limited assessment of existing BMP inventory
Discovery Costs Usually done by consultant, but can be done in house For a ten square mile subwatershed, plan on: 200 hours for comp subwatershed eval. 40 hours for BMP inventory assessment
Project Evaluation Costs Cost to evaluate project feasibility, develop concept design and compute reductions Rule of Thumb: 10 to 20 hours per site Based on Recent CWP fieldwork Requires some engineering review and neighborhood consultation
Retrofit Cost Inflators What is Fixed Wetland permitting Off-site haul of excavated materials Sewer or utility relocation Need easements or contested ROW Complicated plumbing (flow splitters) Parking, maintenance of traffic Amenity landscaping Others? Take care in the stream corridor!
Design, Engineering and Permitting Costs Typically run be 30 to 50% of retrofit construction cost High end: demonstration projects, refiguring plumbing, unfamiliar practices Low end: Conversion, enhancement or restoration of existing BMPs
Contract Administration Costs Assume that 1 FTE is needed for every 1 to 2 million contracted in retrofit capital budget Project bundling, design/build, call contracts, bid incentives and other project management tools can reduce costs and improve quality
We need your bioretention cost data! Simple easy to use survey will take you ~30 min to complete Hope to collect 150 responses Will be able to generate cost predictive curves Help local governments in planning www.chesapeakestormwater.net
General Tips on Local Retrofit Delivery
Tip 1. Develop multiple revenue streams and delivery mechanisms Capital Improvement Budget Stormwater Offset Fees Stormwater Utility Discounts Stormwater Maintenance Budgets Maintenance Enforcement Street Reconstruction Piggyback on Municipal Construction Projects Public/Private Partnerships Trading
A slice of restoration Another slice of restoration
Tip 2. Maximize Drainage Area Treated by Individual Retrofits Large storage retrofits are usually the most cost effective solution They do require more permitting, easements and neighborhood consultation Experience has shown that storage retrofits can treat up to 20 to 30% of subwatershed area in suburban areas, much less in highly urban ones Green street and on-site LID retrofits are needed for the next chunk of treatment
Tip 3. Residential LID Retrofit Incentives Subsidies, technical assistance, stormwater utility credits and other incentives to build LID retrofits on private land
Tip 4. Transform Your Stormwater Maintenance Program Use your stormwater maintenance inspection, tracking and enforcement authority to identify potential retrofits and/or major maintenance upgrades Potential for both public and private stormwater facilities
Discussion
Incentive Programs for Residential LID Retrofits
Some Pioneer Projects Chesapeake Bay Demonstration Projects Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Blue Water Baltimore Center for Watershed Protection Corsica River Conservancy DC River Smart Homes Gunpowder River Conservancy Montgomery County Rainscapes Rewards Watershed Stewards Academy Arlington, VA Gaithersburg, MD Rockville, MD Programs Elsewhere in the Country Portland, Seattle, Toronto, Kansas City
Watershed Retailer Case Study Blue Water Baltimore Funding: NFWF Grant and Baltimore City Contract Outreach: Two staff w/neighborhood specific outreach Targeting: Two subwatersheds and priority neighborhoods Design: Outdoor Water Audit by BWB staff Installation: By BWB staff or contractor LID Goal: 2000 - predominately disconnections * Tracking: Post Construction Inspection Notes: Runs own native plant nursery Website: http://www.bluewaterbaltimore.org/programs/cleanwaterways/waterauditprogram/
BLUE WATER BALTIMORE RAINFALL RECYCLING SUBSIDIES Practice Installation Materials Planning Limitations plants Rain Barrel Free $25 off Free At least 50 gallons Downspout Disconnection Rain Garden Free Free Free Above-ground only Half off up to $500 Half off up to $500 Free Treats connected impervious area Conservation Landscaping Half off up to $300 Half off up to $300 Free Must reduce runoff ******* Hardscape Removal Half off up to $200 Half off up to $200 Free Must reduce runoff Shade Tree Free $35 Free 2 per lot
Landscape Contractor Retailer Corsica River Conservancy Rain Garden Project Funding Source: NFWF grant Incentives: Free Installation of $2000 Rain Garden Targeting: Centerville, MD, three homeowner association Design: 4 Local Master Gardeners Installation: CRC-designated landscape contractor Rain Gardens Installed: 250 Tracking: CRC takes before and after photos, GPS coordinates, street address Maintenance: Simple Agreement, with annual tasks Other Notes: Several different planting templates offered Website: http://www.corsicariverconservancy.org/activities
County Rebate Program Montgomery County Rainscapes Rewards Funding Source: Stormwater Utility Incentives: Max Rebates up to $1200 for residential and $5000 for non-residential properties Coordination: One staff for coordination, technical support and review; ½ position for outreach; ½ position admin support Targeting: County wide, (RainScapes Neighborhoods targets six priority neighborhoods through County-installed projects One staff; ½ position outreach; ½ position admin support) Design: Property owner responsibility but also on-line and/or onsite technical assistance available Installation: By property owner or their contractor Tracking: Post-Construction Inspection, GIS tracking and Maintenance Inspection Other Notes: On-line application system Website: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dectmpl.asp?url=/content/dep/water /rainscapes.asp
RainScapes projects Photos courtesy of MC-DEP RainScapes Program
Other Stewardship Delivery Options Delivery with Co-pays River Smart Homes (DDOE) 10% Property Tax Credit (Anne Arundel County) Discount on Stormwater Utility Fee (Philadelphia) Disconnection Fundraiser ($50 per, Portland, OR) Mandatory Disconnection (Toronto) Garden Angels and Stormwater Champions (Kansas City)
Common Problems Encountered High initial investment in outreach to create demand Hard to keep up with demand once things get going Shortage of trained home auditors and installers Reducing administrative burden for applicants
Discussion
Maintenance, Tracking and Verification of Retrofits
Discussion What are the options for managing the maintenance process for retrofits?
Retrofit Inspections & Verification CBP emphasizing verification of BMPs installed for the TMDL Procedures being developed now The Retrofit Removal Rate is not perpetual Good for 10 years, and can be renewed based on field inspections (5 years for on-site LID retrofits) Use of simple visual indicators Reporting through annual MS4 reports to MDE 1 FTE: 250 to 500 retrofits a year
Retrofit Tracking
Integrate Retrofits into Existing Local BMP Tracking Systems.
database (full size)
Retrofit Maintenance Costs Traditional BMPs: 3 to 5 % of Capital Cost LID Retrofits: 3%? Gum Surgery Daily Flossing
One big pond The Old Pond Maintenance Model
The New LID Maintenance Model 24 disconnections 18 swale sections 14 rain gardens 5 bioretention areas 4 tree planting areas 6 sheet flow credits
Seattle Retrofit Maintenance Case Study Adapted from Donofrio, 2012 Seattle Public Utilities
Maintenance Management Two crews Hardscape: city crew Landscape: contractor Scheduled by LOS not frequency Semi annual inspections pre fall pre spring Adapted from Donofrio, 2012 Seattle Public Utilities
Maintenance Program is designed by Levels of Service LOS A Excellent effort LOS B Good effort LOS C Moderate effort LOS D Poor effort Adapted from Donofrio, 2012 Seattle Public Utilities
Layout and How To Select the desired Service Level for maintenance Adapted from Donofrio, 2012 Seattle Public Utilities
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