Rain and snow melt are natural, regular occurrences in the Great Lakes. Ecosystems have evolved over billions of years to retain and use this vital resource.

Unfortunately, human development has changed this cycle, mainly through increases in impervious surfaces, and has transformed water from an asset into a problem. Once land is developed, precipitation that once soaked into the ground is swiftly carried away, carrying a wide variety of pollutants with it.

Stormwater runoff is a leading cause of water quality impairment. Unfortunately, developers have little or no incentive to reduce impervious surfaces when developing new or existing properties, and regulations requiring reductions have been scattered or nonexistent.

Traditionally, the way that local governments handle stormwater is by building “hard” infrastructure, including wastewater treatment plants and stormwater treatment facilities. However, the most effective way to handle stormwater is to treat water as a valuable resource by retaining, filtering, treating and using the water on-site. This approach—known as “soft-path” or “low-impact development”—not only alleviates problems associated with stormwater, but also provides visual and environmental benefits to the local landscape. More.