What Happened?
The Seattle Mayor’s office recently announced a new plan to better manage the city’s stormwater runoff to better protect the community from polluted water. The city plans to use natural drainage systems rather than pipe and tank structures to purify polluted waters by filtering it through vegetation and soil.
So What?
The plan is part of Seattle’s ongoing efforts to address environmental concerns throughout the city. The mayor set a new goal of managing 700 million gallons of stormwater each year through green infrastructure by 2025. The distributed approach to stormwater management aims to make the city more resilient to sudden changes in weather patterns and climate without overspending valuable taxpayer dollars.
To fund the project, city-led projects on public land will be deployed, as well as investments from environmentally-conscious members of the private sector and residential volunteerism. Each year, the green stormwater management infrastructure hopes to produce 1,000 green gallons of water per resident, representing six times the volume of stormwater currently managed by natural filtration systems in the city. The green infrastructure works by slowing down the flow of runoff water filled with bacteria, chemicals and toxins from the urban environment by forcing it through dense vegetation. The plants and soil filter out the pollutants and release clean water back into the water stream.
Sustainable Water Management Initiative
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs launched a Sustainable Water Management Initiative to achieve similar goals as those set in Seattle. The statewide program aims to improve and support water conservation projects through public funding of environmental studies, infrastructure upgrades and eco-friendly retrofitting to existing structures or technology.
The city of Amherst, for example, received a $105,527 state grant through the initiative to fund research on reusing treated wastewater for irrigation at local universities. Researchers at Amherst College and the University of Massachusetts will study how much water could be saved if wastewater is properly treated to remove pollutants so it can be reused for agricultural purposes or on public property. The water may also offer an alternative form of cooling to equipment at a local heating plant to reduce risks.
Sludge Systems On The Rise
New research from Frost & Sullivan indicate heightened legislation surrounding wastewater residue disposal are driving increased investments in sludge treatment technology and infrastructure worldwide. As lawmakers place greater focus on water management and treatment, rapid infrastructure development is occurring to meet regulated requirements for public safety and efficient use of resources.
“The emphasis on reusing energy and materials from sludge, which is rich in organic content and minerals, will expand the sludge treatment market globally,” said Suba Arunkumar, Frost & Sullivan energy and environmental industry manager. “Sludge’s application in agriculture as a replacement or addition to fertilizer and its uses in land reclamation, forestry, horticulture and landscaping will encourage treatment equipment adoption.”
Other Environmental Policies
Gov1 is following municipalities making innovative moves to reduce energy costs or redevelop urban land to support agricultural activity to improve sustainability.