Cobb County residential and commercial property owners will save on flood insurance premiums starting on April 1st, thanks to an improvement in the county's rating by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Residents have benefited from Cobb County Water System’s active participation in the Community Rating System (CRS) program for over thirty years, including a 10% flood insurance discount since 1997.  Cobb County's rating improved recently after officials with NFIP assessed the Water System’s floodplain management activities. This included acquiring land susceptible to flooding, widening stream buffers, creating dam breach zone mapping below Category I dams, and increasing public education through social media.

“We are excited to announce this recognition and share an example of stormwater services currently funded by our customers’ water and sewer fees,” said Judy Jones, Director of Cobb County Water System (CCWS). “Cobb County is committed to providing quality stormwater management services and is pleased that our efforts to manage stormwater and protect and educate residents have resulted in a tangible benefit for so many local families.”

The NFIP is a federal program that provides flood insurance to property owners.  NFIP’s Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary program that credits communities for implementing extra flood plain management activities to earn premium reductions for their community members.

The CRS assessment concluded Cobb could be eligible for a further upgrade in the coming years.  The Water System’s Stormwater Management team is actively working to achieve this goal and hopes to bring additional savings to the community.

CCWS is working with the Board of Commissioners to determine the levels of stormwater management services and dedicated funding as the County's population continues to grow.

For more information on the Community Rating System or the National Flood Insurance Program, please call the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or visit their page https://www.fema.gov/flood-insurance.