Cleaner Water for Fewer Dollars: Paving the Way

Source: Lynn Scarlett, Better, Faster, Cheaper, Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard Kennedy School, July 30, 2009

Cities can avoid the need for costly stormwater infrastructure by giving developers the right incentives.

First, the bad news: Nationwide, urban development with impervious surfaces has increased 20 percent over the past two decades. The resulting increase in stormwater runoff is costing cities an estimated $100 billion annually to manage and contain this additional runoff. Proper management of stormwater runoff is important both to prevent flooding and to limit pollutants from entering lakes, rivers, and streams--but it can be very costly.

Now, the good news: New approaches to stormwater management are encouraging greener development, meaning local governments can avoid runoff problems without investing in costly infrastructure.