This October the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new campaign that includes a draft guide, toolkit and technical assistance to support communities in long-term stormwater management and planning.
As a source of water pollution and health concerns, urban stormwater continues to be a growing concern for communities across the United States. During heavy rain or snow periods, many sewer systems will overflow and dump untreated sewage directly into nearby bodies of water. The pollution is increased in urban areas by human activities containing nitrogen and phosphorus from vehicles (oil, grease, coolants) fertilizers, pets, yards and other waste that ends up on the ground.
Stormwater pollution has impaired 13% of all rivers, 18% of all lakes and 32% of all estuaries—that’s over 38,114 miles of rivers and streams, 948,420 acres of lakes, 2,742 square miles of bays and estuaries.
Many communities are taking advantage of green infrastructure that addresses runoff and overflow problems with low-impact technology. Green infrastructure includes drainage, pervious pavements, green roofs and more—allowing communities to utilize sustainable technology to reduce pollution.
The EPA’s new draft guide and toolkit will help facilitate stormwater management and serve as a framework to strategize a long-term approach. The guide encourages the integration of stormwater management within community plans for economic development, infrastructure investment and environmental compliance. The EPA is using this as a ‘draft’ that will be updated over time and after feedback. Although the web-based toolkit is not available yet, it will include technical and financial resources to aid in the planning process.
Additionally, the EPA is providing technical assistance to five communities for the development of their stormwater management plans. These communities will serve as national models in the future and will also be the original testers for the online toolkit.
· Burlington, Iowa
· Chester, Pennsylvania
· Hattiesburg, Mississippi
· Rochester, New Hampshire
· Santa Fe, New Mexico
With this framework, the EPA believes that the communities can prioritize stormwater management as part of capital improvement plans, integrated plans, and other planning efforts. This planning will not only result in long-term cost savings, but also improve quality of life.
Find more information on the guide here: Community Solutions for Voluntary Long-Term Stormwater Planning
About S1E: Source One Environmental (S1E) was established in 2009 to provide innovative solutions for municipalities, contractors and plumbers in the water management and infrastructure rehabilitation markets. S1E manufacturers trenchless repair products that provide customers with an environmentally-friendly and cost-effective solution while offering on-site training and consultations.