A joint enforcement action from the EPA and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Conservation Department is "coming down the road" for Chattanooga, a top TDEC official said Thursday.

Patrick Parker told an overflow crowd at City Hall for an explanation on a huge increase in water quality fees that the city should expect a fine for numerous violations of its clean water permit.

Mr. Parker said, "Chattanooga has had the permit for 11 years. There was a lack of compliance in 2005 and a severe lack of compliance now."

Mayor Ron Littlefield also told the group he is aware "that a fine is coming."

He said Knoxville was penalized over half a billion dollars and the small city of Loudon has been told it could face fines up to $37,500 per day.

The meeting was called after a number of business owners lodged complaints about major increases in the amount they are being charged for the fee.

The fee had not increased since it was installed in 1993, but it is tripled on current bills.

Lee Norris of city public works said the aim is to have the stormwater program self funded. He said the fee should bring in over $22 million this year and an average of over $26 million over the next five years when the fee will increase each year.

He said a number of extra crews will be added to public works to help clear debris from streams, upstop pipes and other work.

Bill Raines of the Raines Company said the big increase "couldn't have come at a worse time" for business people. He said his bill at the Four Squares Center went from $4,000 to $10,000.

Saying the increase should have been phased in, he called the steep bills "unconscionable."

Bishop Richard Coleman, who said his St. Michael's Church on Hickory Valley Road keeps flooding, called it "ungodly."

He said it did not appear from the budget for the program that it is going to bring much flood relief.

Mayor Littlefield said a number of staff will have to be added to handle the numerous requirements for testing, training, sampling, etc. in the permit.

He said, with the fines looming, the city could not curb the current charges. But he said business owners could appeal if they feel their "impervious" area was not measured correctly or they can apply for credits, such as for installing a detention pond or gasoline skimmer.

City Engineer Bill Payne said the stormwater fee was formerly based on data from the assessor's office, but is now figured on data from aerial photography.

He said proceeds from the fee will be used for debris and sediment removal, replacement and repair of undersized drainage systems, preventive maintenance, stream restoration and property purchase for stream buffers.

He said some WPA concrete ditches may be converted back to natural streams.

Officials said the city's general fund will be bolstered by some $3 million since funds will no longer be diverted from it to the stormwater program.

Expenditure of the first-year collections of $22.2 million are set for:

Water quality and drainage $7,157,000
Maintenance $7,508,000
New equipment $2,000,000
Capital improvement $5,578,647

Bishop Coleman said many of the detention ponds stay dry during heavy rain. He said, "They are some of the safest places to be in a storm."

Pryor Bacon, a real estate veteran, said, "We're being penalized, but we're really not solving the problem."

Speakers said the fee increase may cause some businesses to leave Hamilton County. Mayor Littlefield said they may find even more aggressive enforcement in places like North Georgia.

Delores Kennedy said the bill at her mobile home park went from $1,325 to $5,299. She asked, "How are small businesses suppose to cope with this?"