ATLANTA - Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) with the regional 2014 EPA Rain Catcher Award in the Municipal Category. The award was given at an award ceremony during the Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4/International Erosion Control Association Municipal Wet Weather Stormwater Conference, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The South Fork Beargrass Creek was the waterway targeted for this project. The project goals included: reducing stormwater to the combined sewer overflow (CSO) basin; demonstrating viability to the Louisville/Jefferson County municipal separate storm sewer community and providing an example of an incentive program. The resultant CSO 130 Green Infrastructure Project provided a higher level of control using green infrastructure and low impact development practices at a significant lower cost than traditional control measures. Monitoring efforts are set to demonstrate a marked reduction in overflow events resulting in approximately 6.5 million gallons of combined sewage removed from Beargrass Creek per year. Green infrastructure practices also resulted in the elimination of a proposed 80,000 gallon storage basin.
The EPA Region 4 Rain Catcher Award recognizes excellence in the implementation of stormwater green infrastructure practices. Green infrastructure uses natural systems and/or engineered systems designed to mimic natural processes to more effectively manage urban stormwater and reduce receiving water impacts. EPA and its partner organizations have promoted the use of green infrastructure for many years as part of a comprehensive approach to achieving healthier waters. Green infrastructure reduces the volume of stormwater discharges by managing rainwater close to where it falls and removes many of the pollutants present in runoff, making it an effective strategy for addressing wet weather pollution and improving water quality.
