A Detroit pilot project to divert stormwater to "natural" areas aims to prove the city will save tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars in pipeline infrastructure. Editor's note: In the March Park issue LASN presented Milliken State Park in Detroit. The second phase of that park project includes a wetlands demonstration area that showcases nature's water filtration. Collected stormwater passes through a swirl separator to remove suspended solids and contaminants. The stormwater is then pumped into a four-foot deep sediment forebay, then into three-foot deep pools with emergent plants.
Photo: SmithGroupJJR

The concept of "blue infrastructure" refers to allowing natural environments to handle stormwater. In city settings with mostly impervious hardscapes, it means diverting stromwater from the city's sewer and stormwater system into ponds or open fields. By keeping stormwater out of the sewers, cities can save hundreds of millions of dollars by not having to invest in more pipeline infrastructure and the concomitant costs of treating (cleaning) the water before it enters local streams and rivers.