Growing urban populations are placing pressure on existing stormwater systems, producing high flood rates, degraded urban aquatic habitat, and low water quality in urban lakes, rivers, and streams. In the case of Chicago, the result imposes losses on residents of as much as $4 billion per year.
Stormwater management is a potentially low-cost solution that can address these challenges. One research group from the Center for the Economics of Sustainability at Illinois and Reed College in Portland, Oregon is tackling the issue using economics. The research team – including CEOS researchers Amy Ando and Bryan Parthum and partners Noelwah Netusil and Catalina Londoño Cadavid– estimated the monetary benefits of stormwater management improvements for Chicago and Portland and how much people are willing to volunteer to improve outcomes. These estimates can inform federal policies and public programs that shape how and where resources are allocated.
Stormwater management is a decentralized approach that requires multiple actors to work together to be effective: property owners must maintain their own projects, such as rain barrels and rain gardens, while cities (with the support of their residents) must maintain public infrastructure, such as green roofs and green streets that allow proper water infiltration.
The research