Manage stormwater runoff near your home, officials urge
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As the region wrestles with flooding and sewage discharges into the rivers, some officials and environmentalists are stressing that stormwater management begins in the home.
While improvements to infrastructure and efforts to change commercial building practices likely would form the backbone of a comprehensive stormwater management system for the region, Pittsburgh Councilman Patrick Dowd said homeowners can do a small part by installing rain barrels or rain gardens.
The barrels and gardens capture, or slowly release, runoff that otherwise could flood homes or mix with sewage and other contaminants en route to the region's rivers.
"If you ask me, this isn't just about managing pipes," Mr. Dowd, who is also a member of the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority board, said. "This is about changing our understanding of the environment."
During heavy rains, the region's stormwater and sewage systems become overwhelmed, and sewage flows untreated into the rivers. In Pittsburgh, stormwater and sewage also flood streets and back up in homes.
Allegheny County Sanitary Authority and many municipalities are under orders to reduce sewage overflows into the rivers, a mandate large in scale and cost. At the same time, Pittsburgh officials are under pressure to prevent more flooding.
While the spotlight is on government, especially in the wake of an Aug. 19 flash flood that killed four people on Washington Boulevard in Highland Park, environmental groups long have preached a message of personal responsibility for stormwater control.
On its website, 3 Rivers Wet Weather has a graphic, complete with sound effects, showing how rainwater travels from rooftop to river. Another graphic shows how houses are connected to the sewerage system.
The group recommends that consumers conserve water by installing low-flow toilets, taking shorter showers and running the dishwasher and washing machine only for full loads. In addition, homeowners should wash cars on the lawn to keep water out of the stormwater and sewerage systems.
First Published October 17, 2011 12:00 am
