Build it Better, Build it Green: Forming a Green Stormwater Infrastructure Program

Would your organization like to be more green in the way stormwater is managed? What are the best ways? Learn from the MWRD. Over seven years ago, the MWRD’s Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) section was formed, to facilitate the expanding role that GSI will play in the industry. The main goals of the section are determining strategies to efficiently select and implement GSI solutions, and monitoring for performance and maintenance. As the program has expanded, the MWRD has learned from comparing and evaluating both inhouse and partnership projects, to get the most effective stormwater benefit at a low unit cost, while also reaping societal and environmental co-benefits. The eighty-plus projects that have been constructed keep over 13 million gallons of stormwater out of local sewer systems, leading to a significant reduction in flooding and CSO volumes. This paper gives an overview of the MWRD’s GSI program, project selection, design elements, and key example projects.