By Josh McKnight | The McKnight Team
Middletown Township will refund $6,000 to Pennswood Village, a nonprofit senior living community. The refund follows a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision that stormwater “fees” are really taxes. Because they are taxes, they cannot be charged to nonprofits.
Every Bucks County stormwater fee now sits under that ruling. Middletown’s annual fee brings in about $2 million, against estimated needs of $1.5 million a year plus $200,000 in maintenance.
How the Court Ruling Changes Stormwater Fees
Townships across Pennsylvania created stormwater fees over the last decade. The idea was simple. Charge each property based on how much hard surface it has, like roofs, driveways and parking lots, then use the money to fix pipes, basins and creek banks.
Calling it a fee mattered. A fee can be charged to everyone who uses a service, including tax-exempt nonprofits. A tax cannot. The Supreme Court looked past the label and said the charge works like a tax. On many bills the fee shows up as its own line or as a separate statement. If you have never looked for it, check your last township bill.
So exempt properties come off the bill. Large nonprofit campuses with big parking lots and rooftops often paid the most under a surface-based fee. Hospitals, colleges and other exempt campuses across Pennsylvania are in the same position as Pennswood Village.
What the Ruling Actually Does to Your Bucks County Stormwater Fee
The pipes still need fixing. The bill still needs paying. Someone covers the gap.
Set that against what the numbers show right now. The typical Langhorne home value is $595,924, up 3.6% over the past year, per Zillow data through August 31, 2026. Homes go to pending in about six days.
Values are rising. So are the costs that sit on top of them. Both land on the same monthly budget.
Why Homeowners Should Watch the Next Budget
In Middletown, the math has room. The fee raises about $2 million against roughly $1.7 million in yearly needs and maintenance. A $6,000 refund does not break that budget.
Still, a fee that raises $2 million is not a rounding error. Every dollar refunded to an exempt property is a dollar the township has to find somewhere else, or a project it has to push back.
Other townships may not have that cushion. Where nonprofits own a large share of paved land, the lost revenue is bigger. That shortfall gets covered one of three ways: a higher fee on taxable properties, a higher millage rate, or less stormwater work.
Both things can be true. Nonprofits give real value to a community, and the cost of runoff does not disappear because a property is exempt. Reasonable people land differently on who should pay.
Your home’s carrying cost is more than the mortgage. It is taxes, insurance and fees like this one. Buyers in Bucks County run those numbers before they offer. A township that shifts stormwater costs onto homeowners changes that math for every house on the market there.
For you, the practical question is simple. Does your township charge a stormwater fee, and how much exempt land sits inside its borders? Pass this along to a neighbor who has never read the stormwater line on their bill.
What This Means for You
If you are selling, gather your last two years of tax and stormwater bills. Buyers and lenders look at total carrying cost, and a clear record answers questions before they slow a deal. If you are buying in Bucks County, ask whether the township charges a stormwater fee and whether its budget is changing. Build a little room into your monthly payment for it. If your township holds a budget hearing this fall, it is worth an hour of your time to hear where the stormwater money goes.
Middletown Township shares mailing addresses with Langhorne and Levittown. Our Langhorne community guide covers that local market in detail. We can help you see the full cost of a home before you make an offer.
Thinking about buying or selling in Bucks County? Let’s talk.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Bucks County Stormwater Fee
Are stormwater fees taxes in Pennsylvania?
Yes, according to a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision. The court ruled that stormwater fees work like taxes, so tax-exempt nonprofits cannot be charged. Middletown Township is refunding $6,000 to Pennswood Village as a result.
Will the ruling affect my home value?
Not directly. The typical Langhorne home value is $595,924, up 3.6% in a year. The ruling could affect your carrying costs if your township shifts lost revenue onto taxable homeowners.
Do I still have to pay my stormwater fee?
Yes, if you own a taxable home. The ruling covers tax-exempt nonprofits, not private homeowners. Your township’s fee stays on your bill unless local officials change or repeal it.
What happens next for Bucks County townships?
Each township with a stormwater fee will review which properties it can still charge. Some may refund nonprofits, adjust rates or fold the cost into millage. Watch your township’s 2027 budget meetings this fall.
