U.S. cities are revamping how they handle stormwater to reduce flooding and capture rainfall and recharge aquifers.
New policies reflect a change in mindset from treating stormwater as a nuisance to be quickly diverted away to capturing it as a resource. U.S. urban areas generate an estimated 59.5 million acre-feet of stormwater runoff per year on average, equal to 53 billion gallons a day. That much water is equal to 93% of the country’s total municipal and industrial water use.
In Los Angeles, the nonprofit Trust for Public Land has been removing impervious surfaces in alleys and school grounds and replacing asphalt with natural infrastructure, including trees and pervious surfaces.
In the eastern part of the country where rainfall is more plentiful, cities including New York and Pittsburgh are installing green solutions such as rain gardens and bioswales. Cities are also instituting stormwater fees, charging landowners based on the area of impervious surfaces on a property. More cities are also using permeable pavers for sidewalks and parking lots.
Recharging aquifers via more permeable surface areas not only makes more groundwater available, but it also helps prevent land subsidence that can cause buildings to slowly sink.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Nov 4, 2020
Commercial building owners having tougher time securing insurance policies and renewals
Insurers’ fears of civil unrest in wake of election prompt builder’s risk coverage moratoriums.
Codes and Standards | Nov 4, 2020
Turn rooftops into revenue generators with solar arrays
Lease or ownership models for PVs make more sense than ever.
Codes and Standards | Nov 3, 2020
The argument against gas stoves includes degraded indoor air quality
Asthma seems to be aggravated by cooking with flame.
Codes and Standards | Nov 2, 2020
Wildfires can make drinking water toxic
Updated building codes could mitigate the danger.
Adaptive Reuse | Oct 26, 2020
Mall property redevelopments could result in dramatic property value drops
Retail conversions to fulfillment centers, apartments, schools, or medical offices could cut values 60% to 90%.
Codes and Standards | Oct 26, 2020
New seismic provisions for the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program released
The provisions present a set of recommended improvements to the ASCE/SEI 7-16 Standard.
Codes and Standards | Oct 22, 2020
More than 130 building projects have engaged LEED’s Safety First Credits in response to COVID-19
Best practices helping companies develop and measure healthy, sustainable, and resilient reopening efforts.
Codes and Standards | Oct 21, 2020
New technologies and techniques can ‘future-proof’ buildings
Net-zero principles may give buildings longer lives.
Codes and Standards | Oct 20, 2020
Updated AIA Contractor’s Qualification Statement and Warranty Bond documents available
Statement now includes safety protocols and plans, sustainability, and BIM experience.
Codes and Standards | Oct 19, 2020
NEXT Coalition chooses five pilot projects to fight COVID-19 on jobsites
Mobile platforms, wearable sensors, AI video systems among the trial solutions.