Communities across the country are facing a growing wave of water challenges. Increased flooding, worsening droughts, water scarcity, and pollution are straining traditional water supplies. New approaches are needed to build resilience and ensure a sustainable water future for our cities.
Stormwater capture has emerged as a promising tool in this fight. It offers a multi-pronged benefit:
- Augmenting Water Supplies: Captured stormwater can help bridge the gap between water supply and demand, offering a valuable new source, especially during droughts.
- Mitigating Flooding and Drought: By capturing runoff, stormwater management systems can reduce the severity of flooding events and provide a reserve for drier periods.
- Reducing Water Pollution: Capturing and treating stormwater prevents pollutants from entering waterways, improving overall water quality.
- Greening Cities and Lowering Temperatures: Captured stormwater can be used for irrigation in urban landscapes, promoting greenery and mitigating the urban heat island effect.
However, a lack of comprehensive data on available stormwater resources has hampered wider adoption of these solutions.
A new report by the Pacific Institute, in collaboration with 2NDNATURE, sheds light on this critical issue. The report provides the first-ever national assessment of the volumetric potential of urban stormwater runoff in the United States.
Key Findings:
- Suburban areas have the potential to generate an impressive 59.5 million acre-feet of stormwater runoff annually, on average. This translates to over 53 billion gallons of water per day.
- Coastal areas present a particularly attractive opportunity. Though comprising only 12% of urban land area, coastal subbasins offer 37% of the national potential (roughly 21.9 million acre-feet annually). Capturing stormwater here can minimize impacts on downstream users and improve coastal water quality.
The report acknowledges that capturing all available stormwater might not always be feasible or desirable. Legal restrictions and ecological concerns need to be factored in. The study emphasizes the importance of detailed local assessments to tailor strategies for different regions.
The report also offers a roadmap with recommendations for maximizing the potential of stormwater capture:
- National Guidance: Streamlining regulations and permitting processes can significantly ease project development.
- Regional Collaboration: Encouraging collaboration between neighboring communities can optimize resource utilization.
- Expanded Applications: Exploring a wider range of uses for captured stormwater, such as irrigation, industrial processes, or even non-potable household uses, will increase its value.
- Funding and Financing: Increased public and private funding, along with innovative financial mechanisms, are crucial to support stormwater projects.
- Integrated Water Management: Integrating water management strategies with broader urban planning considerations, like green infrastructure, will unlock additional benefits.
- Public-Private Partnerships: Collaboration between public and private entities can leverage resources and expertise to accelerate large-scale stormwater capture projects.
This groundbreaking report from the Pacific Institute provides valuable data and recommendations for water professionals across the United States. By implementing these strategies, our cities can harness the power of stormwater capture to build a more water-secure and sustainable future.
