(ATLANTA, December 5, 2018) — The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District (Metro Water District) today awarded the cities of Alpharetta and Atlanta with the 2018 STREAM Award for demonstrating leadership and innovation in stormwater management.
Alpharetta was recognized for developing a stormwater management plan that accommodates new development in a way that also protects water quality. For example, the city requires developments which add 1,000 square feet or more of impervious surfaces to use low-impact measures to prevent run-off from the first inch of rainfall. The city also requires residential developments to set aside funds to build and maintain stormwater management systems.
Atlanta was recognized for being a regional leader in green infrastructure innovation. The city has developed a plan to incorporate “green infrastructure” into all city agencies and public-private projects, such as rain gardens, green roofs, and cisterns that slow or capture stormwater runoff. The city also requires projects which add or replace 500 square feet of impervious surface to reduce stormwater runoff.
“The cities of Alpharetta and Atlanta are setting a great example for stormwater management in metro Atlanta, showing how innovation and creativity can drive meaningful change and improve water quality,” said Charlotte Nash, Chairman of the Metro Water District.
The STREAM awards recognize impactful and innovative water resource management projects and programs. These awards honor projects completed by the Metro Water District’s local member governments, utilities, and authorities that are sustainable, thoughtful, regional, engaging, applicable, and measured. Each year’s award focuses on a different planning area. This year celebrates the best in post-construction stormwater management practices.
While all jurisdictions are required to adopt post-construction stormwater management practices, what makes certain jurisdictions exceptional is their adoption of one or more of the following:
- Implementing a runoff-reduction-based ordinance
- Incentivizing redevelopment projects
- Implementing alternative arrangements for residential stormwater maintenance
- Requiring electronic “as-built” renderings of projects from contractors
- Implementing stream crossing and culvert design policy
About the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District (Metro Water District)
The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District is dedicated to developing comprehensive regional and watershed-specific water resources plans to be implemented by local governments in the 15-county metro Atlanta region, which includes Bartow, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale counties. These plans conserve public water supplies, protect water quality and recreational value of the waters and minimize potential adverse impacts of development on waters in and downstream of the region. Learn more at www.northgeorgiawater.org.
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