Capturing, filtering, and infiltrating stormwater is critical in urban environments where impervious surface covers 60% or more of all land area. Sustainable stormwater infrastructure filters pollutants from water and restores the natural hydrological cycle, protecting water resources.
Maniquiz-Redillas, Marla C., and Lee-Hyung Kim. “Evaluation of the capability of low-impact development practices for the removal of heavy metal from urban stormwater runoff.” Environmental technology (2016): 1-8.
Green infrastructure also improves air quality, mitigates the urban heat island effect, and increases species habitat, from small oases for birds and insects to the large water bodies that eventually receive stormwater runoff.
Green streets are part of healthy, equitable urban design that views streets as vital public spaces. Incorporating green elements into streets improves mental and physical health through better air quality, valuable shade, and beautification and contact with nature in areas where access to parks is limited. Ensure that the benefits of green stormwater infrastructure are provided equitably, especially in neighborhoods that have historically borne disproportionate air and water pollution or that lack green space.
Street reconstruction projects that incorporate green infrastructure should be aligned with citywide traffic safety and mobility efforts, especially where opportunities arise to move curbs and reallocate street space to people walking and biking. Green infrastructure can be leveraged in conjunction with other street design projects to realize complementary goals, including transit access and safe mobility, providing greater value from city projects.
Green stormwater infrastructure is an asset for cities, providing quantifiable financial benefits. Stormwater management strategies should be planned and implemented with consideration for life-cycle costs and benefits, including the potential impacts of climate change and storm events. Green street elements that are properly designed, operated, and maintained extend the useful life of other infrastructure, especially gray water systems and pavement surface.
As the intensity and frequency of storms increases in many cities, and as drought conditions intensify in other cities, sustainable stormwater management is critical for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Incorporating natural systems into the built environment promotes ecosystem health and urban resilience.
Green stormwater infrastructure should be implemented at a network scale, but must be tailored to the specifics of its site. Use an understanding of topography and microclimates, available space, accessibility needs and the many human functions of a street, and desirable infiltration capacity to design appropriate green stormwater systems. Use the street to restore connections to the natural water cycle, and make comprehensive, citywide investments to see watershed-level benefits.