Rain has been pouring down in California this month and appears to have eased the minds of people concerned about the drought. However, as we mentioned in last week’s blog, the lack of understanding on how this all works is creating a false sense of security.
More rain is great but without the proper stormwater capture infrastructure in place, that water is being wasted. A growing number of areas in Southern California are leading by example with plenty of stormwater management projects underway and the narrative about stormwater is changing.
In an article written for Water Deeply, How California Can Make the Most of Its Rainfalls, author Michael Levitin outlines early progress in Southern California and the future of stormwater with help from Annalisa Kihara. Kihara, chief planner at the State Water Board’s Strategy to Optimize Resource Management of Storm Water unit (STORMS), explains how these current projects are showing the public how to look at stormwater in a positive light. (Levitin)
“We designed our infrastructure in California to take that stormwater and send it out to the ocean as fast as possible, treating it as a hazard or waste. It previously got folded into the sewer fee, so your taxpayer money is taking that stormwater and routing it away. [But] the drought has made us look at what sources of water we can depend on other than Sierra snowpack, and along with desalination and recycled water, what about stormwater? We want the public to look at it from a different perspective: less as waste, and more as a resource.” (Levitin)
Levitin, echoing Kihara, proclaims that “stormwater capture is here to stay” despite barriers and some cities’ stormwater inexperience. It’s up to all of us to help guide the cities that require more guidance as they begin to shift priorities and embrace stormwater capture.
Practical solutions begin with drywells. Not only are drywells a small footprint stormwater management solution, they come with an affordable price tag and improve a projects capacity for aquifer recharge. Torrent is ready to help California take the first steps in the right direction towards sustainable water supplies – are you?
Whether you’re familiar or unfamiliar with our products, we can provide a free Lunch & Learn that demonstrates the power of our systems and gives insight on how to include them on your next project. MaxWell® has been outperforming other drywells for over 44 years. Learn more about the history of the MaxWell here.
