Cities Turn to Green Stormwater Infrastructure

Cities are rethinking stormwater management as heavier rainfall, flooding and aging infrastructure strain systems designed mainly to move water away. Ann Arbor is developing a comprehensive plan that combines traditional infrastructure with green approaches to capture and manage rain where it falls, after repeated major storms underscored the limits of relying on pipes alone. Portland uses a range of green infrastructure—including rain gardens, ecoroofs and soil filtration—alongside sewer, surface-water and groundwater systems; the city credits these measures with substantially reducing stormwater entering its combined sewer. Meanwhile, demand for stormwater solutions is growing, with manufacturers developing infrastructure intended to balance durability, cost and practical installation.