14 Cities Prove That Green Infrastructure Cleans Waterways,
Cuts Costs and Greens Cities
WASHINGTON, DC, November 16, 2011 - Cities of
all sizes are tackling their water pollution problems, such as
stormwater runoff and sewage overflow, by employing green
infrastructure and design -- and they will save money as a result,
according to a peer-reviewed report released by the Natural Resources Defense
Council.
The report provides detailed case studies analyzing how 14
cities are using these methods and encourages the EPA to advance
these solutions nationwide later this year.
'Every single day, millions of gallons of good water needlessly
drain away, filling our waterways with sewage and urban pollutants,
rather than replenishing our water supply,' said NRDC Water Program
Director David Beckman.
'But it doesn't have to be that way. By making our communities
literally greener, we can make our water sources cleaner too -- and
with much greater return than conventional solutions.'
'Rooftops to Rivers II' details common
water pollution problems and provides case studies for 14
geographically diverse cities that can all be considered leaders
for employing green infrastructure solutions to address their
pollution problems.
The cities featured in the report have improved their ability to
manage stormwater and reduce runoff pollution, saved money and
beautified their cityscapes by capturing rain where it falls.
'Cities of all sizes are recognizing that green infrastructure
-- which stops rain where it falls -- is the smartest way to reduce
water pollution from storms,' said Karen Hobbs, NRDC senior policy
analyst.
'It often only takes a fraction of an inch to trigger this kind
of pollution. And the extreme weather we've seen in much of the
country this year -- from drought to floods and
hurricanes -- drives home the need for smarter solutions to our
water woes.'
The 14 cities featured in the report are all positioned on a
six-point 'Emerald City Scale' to assess how each of these
trailblazing leaders is doing. They are listed here from the
highest to lowest points scored:
- Philadelphia, PA (6)
- Milwaukee, WI (5)
- New York, NY (5)
- Portland, OR (5)
- Syracuse, NY (5)
- Washington, D.C. (5)
- Aurora, IL (4)
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada (4)
- Chicago, IL (3)
- Kansas City, MO (3)
- Nashville, TN (3)
- Seattle, WA (3)
- Pittsburgh, PA (1)
- Detroit Metro Area & the Rouge River Watershed, MI (1)
The six-point scale identifies the primary actions every city
can undertake to maximize their green infrastructure investment,
including: a long term green infrastructure plan for the city, a
retention standard, a requirement to reduce existing impervious
surfaces using green infrastructure, incentives for private-party
action, guidance or other assistance in deploying green
infrastructure, and a dedicated funding source.
Only one city, Philadelphia, is undertaking all six actions, but
each city featured in the report is undertaking at least one.
Green infrastructure -- in contrast to paved
and other impermeable surfaces -- stops runoff pollution from the
start, by capturing rainwater and either storing it for future
consumer use or letting it filter back into the ground,
replenishing vegetation and groundwater supplies.
Examples include green roofs, street trees, increased green
space, rain barrels, rain gardens, and permeable pavement. These
design solutions have the added benefits of beautifying
neighborhoods, cooling and cleansing the air, reducing asthma and
heat-related illnesses, lowering heating and cooling energy costs,
boosting economies, and supporting American jobs.
The report details how green
infrastructure is frequently more cost-effective than traditional
approaches to addressing runoff, like pipes and holding
tanks.
The City of Philadelphia estimates that a traditional approach
to its sewage overflow problems would have cost billions more than
its state-approved green infrastructure plan, which will achieve
comparable results as it transforms 34 percent of the city's
impervious surfaces to 'greened acres.'
The American Society of Landscape Architects recently surveyed
its members and found that green infrastructure reduced or did not
influence costs 75 percent of the time. EPA's own analysis shows
that green infrastructure approaches save money for developers,
communities and, the vast majority of the time, for new
development.
As the EPA prepares to update its national standards for
controlling runoff pollution from new development and existing
paved areas this winter, these cities' successes should encourage
the agency to adopt requirements that will drive similar approaches
nationwide.
By requiring sources of polluted runoff to retain water on
site, communities will not only better control pollution from
contaminated stormwater and sewage,
but also reap the numerous benefits that green infrastructure
provides.
To complement 'Rooftops to Rivers II,' NRDC also unveiled a new
web platform focused on stormwater pollution and modern runoff
management approaches. The website contains useful information to aid stormwater management
decision-makers, and features an interactive tool to survey cities
about green infrastructure strategies being used to control stormwater.
This will allow municipalities to submit their own green
infrastructure programs and see how their cities' activities fit on
the Emerald City green infrastructure scale.
The new report follows up on NRDC's initial 'Rooftops to
Rivers,' published in 2006, revisiting eight cities profiled in the
initial report to measure the success of those cities' green
infrastructure programs.
The complete NRDC report is available at nrdc.org/rooftops.