The Lycoming County Water and Sewer Authority approved stormwater management fees and regulations for South Williamsport and DuBoistown property owners Wednesday.

The cooperative fee plan involving the two boroughs and the authority are meant to help meet requirements under the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) to reduce pollutant discharges as part of the Chesapeake Bay Pollution Reduction Plan.

Stormwater Management Program (SMP) fees are calculated based on a formula that considers stormwater runoff per parcel, according to authority Executive Director Christine Weigle.

All parcels, she noted, were evaluated to determine impervious areas.

South Williamsport property owners face an average monthly SMP fee of $5 based on 2,480 square feet of impervious area.

In DuBoistown, for the same size of impervious area, the average monthly SMP fee will be $7.50.

The fee program goes into effect July 1.

The level of service and number of users are different for each municipality, resulting in the disparate fee structures.

Impervious area is a surface that prevents infiltration of water into the ground and includes but is not limited to roofs, patios, garages, driveways, storage sheds and similar structures.

For the third straight month, the authority agreed to grant customers relief from utility shut-offs and to waive penalties they might otherwise face for non-payment of bills.

The no-penalty, no-shut-off resolution will be reviewed once again next month.

“Some customers have called in to set up payment arrangements. We are willing to work with anybody who is having a hard time,” Weigle said.