There is much to report on the Central Ohio Clean Water Campaign since the last update, all thanks to our continued work and collaboration to promote sustainable practices for cleaner waterways. We have made progress in Central Ohio, but we always have more work ahead.

While Ohio EPA is still considering our recommendations on the Columbus sewer plan, we have continued to emphasize the need for proactive solutions to prevent stormwater runoff from causing sewer overflows and polluting our rivers. Replacing aging sewer infrastructure is necessary, just like maintaining a 100 year old house is necessary. However, alternative strategies must be considered to enhance conventional pipe and tunnel projects. Green infrastructure controls both water quantity and quality on site, increasing the landscape’s ability to capture and filter stormwater before it pollutes our waterways. We can prevent pollution by preserving our current natural landscapes and by mimicking nature.

The Columbus Department of Public Utilities and Columbus City Council are moving us closer to green infrastructure improvements by initiating professional evaluations of water quality best management practices. This means generating the information needed to determine the best green practices for Columbus, best practices for maintenance on City property, incentives for projects on private property and data to help the city see the potential cost savings and other benefits derived from green practices. Those practices can include rain gardens, rain barrels, green roofs, native plantings, strategic tree plantings, and porous pavement for roads and parking lots.

Sierra Club volunteers and representatives from the Friends of Alum Creek and Tributaries watershed group spoke at a Columbus City Council meeting on Nov. 17 in support of the green infrastructure studies. Council member Charlene Tavares expressed her interest in making sure the studies are used to move sustainable development goals forward. We echo that sentiment and encourage the city to use final reports to direct a long term, comprehensive approach for sustainable development in Columbus.

We recommend an ordinance modeled after New York City to increase watershed protection. The NYC legislation ensures that the city will follow through with the initiatives outlined in Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC 2030, by requiring the development of a city-wide Sustainable Stormwater Management Plan. NYC plans include planting one million new trees, improving existing parks and providing tax incentives for green roofs.

According to Dr. Paul Mankiewicz, Executive Director of the Gaia Institute in NYC, “With widespread implementation of green infrastructure throughout the city, we could ultimately capture over a billion gallons of stormwater from a single storm, and plant enough vegetation to reverse the urban heat island and significantly decrease the air conditioning expenses and associated air pollution in New York City.”