| |
|
Resources
Storm Water Economics for Local Government: A Case for Non-structural Best Practices - Joel Haden and Dennis Yankee
Published: 1/9/2005
2004 Southeast Watershed Roundtable Presentaion Click here for full agenda
Storm water costs money. Local government, developers and citizens bear these costs. Communities most aware of storm water costs are those regulated by the Clean Water Act (CWA) Amendments under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Storm water or runoff can be a major source of non-point pollution. Excessive runoff sweeps pollutants from impervious surfaces (e.g., paved roads, drive ways, parking lots). This runoff eventually makes its way to storm sewer systems and then to rivers and streams. As it does, it can transport pollutants such as oil and grease from roadways, pesticides from lawns, sediment from construction sites, and discarded trash. The sheer volume of runoff can overwhelm sewer systems and damage infrastructure. A recent study reviewed published literature to get a clear picture of local government officials’ choices as they ask: 1. What level of service will our program deliver? 2. What will it cost? 3. How is it best funded? It examined storm water management strategies that might reduce local government’s costs. These strategies require developers to use non-structural development best practices - practices that prevent pollution at the source, rather than remove pollution from runoff. These practices preserve open space, increase development density and reduce imperviousness. Using population, land use and imperviousness data, the study predicted what local governments in Tennessee might have to spend to manage storm water as they grow and prosper. It predicted how much they might save if they are willing to build consensus for using non-structural best practices.
Download PDF (0.2 MB)
|
|
|
| Contact Us
| Join Email List
