This document discusses opportunities for green infrastructure projects to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSO) from outfall #5. Green infrastructure such as permeable pavement, rain gardens, green roofs, and detention ponds reduces stormwater entering the sewer system. This benefits the environment and community through reduced flooding and increased green spaces. The document calls on the Sierra Club, community councils, city council, and MSD to work together to implement green infrastructure techniques across the sewershed to address CSO #5 as part of MSD's consent decree obligations.

1. CSO #5
Green Infrastructure Opportunities

2. Location

3. CSO #5 “Sewershed”

4. Green Infrastructure
• Essentially makes an urban environment act a
little more like a natural environment.
• Reduces costs for MSD - less stormwater gets
into the system, thus MSD can spend less on
expensive new “gray” infrastructure.
• Lots of knock-on benefits for the environment:
lower cooling demands, less erosion,
esthetics.
• Knock-on benefits for the community:
revitalization, nuisance flood avoidance, more
green!

5. Green Infrastructure - Examples
Pervious Pavement Apron
Pervious
Asphalt
Rain
Barrel

6. Green Infrastructure - Examples
Green
Roofs
Detention Ponds
Rain Gardens

7. We need YOU!
• Sierra Club is urging MSD to start
mitigating CSO #5 immediately,
using every Green Infrastructure
tool, at every opportunity in the
sewershed.
• We (including MSD) need the
community behind this to make it
happen!

8. Possible Support
• Community Councils
– Forward-looking image
– Revitalization platform
• City Council
– Image & revitalization, but also helps with Consent
Decree expenses
• MSD
– Stated Green Infrastructure policy
– Could fund revitalization platform as part of Consent
Decree
• Other institutions & organizations?

9. Neighborhoods

10. Strategies
• City is the biggest landowner, most
important sites.
• Board of Ed. is also big.
• Several major private owners have
mostly scattered sites.
• City could set an example, maybe
bring along other large owners.

11. Strategic Land Owners

12. Strategies
• Vacant land and buildings =
Opportunities!
• Turn Consent Decree into
revitalization platform

13. Vacant & Strategic Land Uses

14. Condemned Buildings

15. Opportunities

16. Implementation
• Sierra Club
– Work with Community Councils & Other Local
Groups
– Help with strategy
• City Council
– Overlay district?
– Property owners required to implement Green
Infrastructure techniques that MSD funds through
Consent Decree
• MSD
– Seems supportive
– Part of Consent Decree