Stormwater management incentive for businesses!

NEXT GREAT CITY VICTORY!		VOLUME III, ISSUE XIX Podcast Listen to the PennFuture podcast at http://www.pennfuturepodcast.org/ Includes interviews with Urban Sustainability Forum speakers and more! Questions or Comments? Email Christine at:knapp@pennfuture.org or call 215-545-9692 Don't forget to visit our website at: http://www.nextgreatcity.org/
The Next Great City coalition can check another agenda item off our list! Philadelphia Water Commissioner Bernard Brunwasser has approved a new rate structure and regulations for stormwater management that will provide incentives to businesses and institutions to reduce their water runoff. “Managing stormwater is vital to our economy, our environment and the public health,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “And this decision moves us one giant step forward in meeting the federal clean water standards and implementing our Greenworks Philadelphia goal: to make our city the greenest in the nation.” Previous stormwater charges were based on how much water a property used, which bears little relation to its contribution to stormwater runoff. The new charges will be based on the size of and amount of impervious surface. The decision will make it profitable for property owners to address stormwater runoff by planting more trees, installing a green roof or using porous pavement. PWD will also work with Next Great City on a pilot program to study expanding the credit program to residential customers.