New Castle County roughly averages $30 million per year on wastewater capital projects. Capital Recovery Fees are intended to recover the cost of building and maintaining the County’s sewer infrastructure. The County’s consultant, Gannett Fleming, completed a study which provided a cost-based analysis of the value of capacity that is available to accommodate new customers connecting to its sewer system. The study established two CRF districts: North – all recognized sanitary sewer service area north of the C&D canal and South – all recognized sanitary sewer service area south of the C&D Canal. The study concluded that the maximum CRF the County may currently charge is:
- $4,520 per single family home, or $15.07 per gallon per day in the North
- $16,070 per single family home, or $53.57 per gallon per day in the South
Based on financial analysis, the County is moving forward with the update, effective July 1, 2023. The new capital recovery fees shall be:
- $3,600 per single family home, or $12.00 per gallon per day in the North
- 20% less than maximum per consultant’s study
- $13,500 per single family home, or $45.00 per gallon per day in the South
- 16% less than maximum per consultant’s study
These fees are paid when a building permit is obtained. The Department of Public Works has published a map of the updated CRF’s on the website here.
Please feel free to contact the Engineering Division of the Department of Public Works at 302-395-5740 with any questions.