Stormwater and Wet Weather
Stormwater
Stormwater refers to runoff from land and impervious areas such as paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops during rainfall and snow events without the benefit of treatment. Stormwater discharges are a concern because they sometimes contain pollutants in quantities that could adversely affect water quality. Many municipalities control stormwater discharges through best management practices which include green infrastructure and low impact development.
Wet Weather
Wet weather flows in wastewater systems are a complicated problem to solve due to restrictions set by available technologies, environmental and public health impacts, and financial affordability of communities. With aging sewer system infrastructure in many communities, excessive volumes of water can enter the system through openings and other defects. Operators must manage these high flows to prevent backups and overflows of raw wastewater in basements or on city streets.
What's New?
Cities of the Future 2010 (March 7-10, Boston, Massachusetts) will bring together a diverse group of practitioners, researchers and policy-makers who share a vision of an improved urban landscape for future generations. The conference will host interdisciplinary discussion required to create sustainable urban infrastructure that will meet the challenges of the 21st century and the interdependent engineered and natural systems that will characterize Cities of the Future.
Urban River Restoration 2010 (March 7-10, Boston, Massachusetts) will focus on the role of revitalized urban rivers and waterfronts within the context of two major trends: an increased focus on sustainable practices to benefit the environment, and a population shift back to cities, which leads to a renewed emphasis on a livable urban environment.
- Reduce Runoff: Slow It Down, Spread It Out, Soak It In Produced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Botanic Garden, this film showcases green techniques that are being used in urban areas to reduce the effects of stormwater runoff on the quality of downstream receiving waters.
- EPA-Region 1 Stormwater, LID and TMDL fact sheets
- After the Storm-Analyzing Stormwater Options after Disaster Strikes (pdf)
- Stormwater Billing-Navigating the Integration Challenges (pdf)
Opportunities for Involvement:
WEF Committees and Communities of Practice: