Daniel Schechter, DWSD

MWEA Watershed and Stormwater Seminar December 2, 2015

Detroit’s Green Infrastructure Program and Stormwater Program Update

Acknowledgements

• Palencia Mobley, DWSD

• Carol Hufnagel, Tetra Tech

• Dan Christian, Tetra Tech

Outline

• Detroit – the City, the CSO Program

• What is green in Detroit’s CSO program?

• What is happening with stormwater in Detroit

• What is the progress?

DETROIT WATER AND

SEWERAGE DEPARTMENT

High Vacancy

Medium Vacancy

Low Vacancy

The Detroit Geography and Population

Image Credit: Concept by Dan Pitera, University of Detroit-Mercy. Map ran in the Detroit Free Press and

Reimagining Detroit – Opportunities for Redefining an American City by John Gallagher.

DETROIT Population: 713,862

Square-mile area: 138.77

Boston, Manhattan, and San Francisco

TOTALS Population: 3,008,828

Square-mile area: 118.08

BOSTON Population: 617,720

Square-mile area: 48.43

MANHATTAN Population: 1,585,873

Square-mile area: 22.96

SAN FRANCISCO Population: 805,235

Square-mile area: 46.69

Upper Rouge

Tributary Area

LEAP Area

Detroit CSO Program

Detroit has invested over $1B in CSO control

The Detroit Green Infrastructure Program

The Basics

• A requirement of the NPDES permit (CSO control program)

• Primary objective is CSO control

• Detroit’s sewer system is 97% combined

• $50 million commitment to green infrastructure

• Upper Rouge project area: approx. 40 square miles

Big Picture Timeline

1989 – 2009 CSO Facilities $760 M

2010 - 2029 Green Infrastructure Program

2008 Economic Recession

2010 - 2012 Detroit Strategic Framework Plan

2013 - Emergency

Financial Manager

2013 Bankruptcy

2014 - Parcel Mapping

1980 1990 2000 2010 2040 2030 2020

2017 – 2037 and beyond Control of Additional CSOs: Cost $TBD

Population 1.2 million

Population 1.03 million

Population 951,000

Population 713,000

CSO/Agency Timeline

Social Timeline

2014 GI Contract Launch 2014-6 DWSD/GLWA transition

2015 Impervious Cover Update

What are the unique characteristics of Detroit that we need to consider in the green infrastructure program?

1. Land in Public Ownership – 29%

2. Blight

20% of parcels in the City are blighted or showing signs of distress

3. Drainage Charge

• Over $100 million in annual revenue

• Approximately $750/ impervious acre/ month

• Credit system for stormwater management under development

Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press

4. Flooding

Kimberly P. Mitchell/Detroit Free Press/MCT

5. New Investment

Arena District

State Fair Grounds

Packard Plant?

Green Infrastructure Plan

• Updated Green Infrastructure Plan was submitted to MDEQ on August 1, 2014

• DWSD.org → About DWSD → NPDES

• Updated annually on August 1

Five Activities

1. Policies and Procedures

2. Prototype Projects

3. Continued Implementation

4. Long Term Performance

5. Stakeholder and Public Outreach

Activity 1 – Policies and Procedures

• Policies and procedures will enable both short and long term changes in stormwater management on parcels and rights of way

• Critical component of long term green infrastructure implementation

Policy Components

• Post Construction Stormwater Standards

• Ordinance Modification for Greener Development

• Demolition Standards

• Plumbing Requirements

• Plan Review and Inspection Process

• Urban Agriculture and Rezoning

• Complete/ Green Streets Standards

Drainage Charge System

• Drainage Charge System • Need current data for accurate billing • An incentive for property owners to use green infrastructure

• Activities • Data accuracy and currency • Billing account information • Rate structures • Credit systems • Tool kit for property owners • Outreach and training

• Property owners moving forward with retrofits represent over 600 acres of area management

Informing Property Owners

• Property owner mailing for those with parcels > ½ acre (DWSD initiated)

• Considering on-line parcel viewer so that property owners can see their site (Customer initiated)

Keeping Data Current

• Opportunity for property owner to provide revised data to account for: – Data precision

– Property changes

• DWSD data updates – Periodic updated aerial coverage (most frequent is

annual, depends on rate of change)

– Demolition records

– Building / site plans records

– DWSD connection permits

Calculating a Bill

• Basic Concept – Bill is based on impervious area of the parcel times

current rate for impervious area. • impervious acres X rate = bill

– Impervious area calculated to the 0.01 acre.

• Current class system – Less precise, appropriate when available data was less

detailed.

• No fundamental change in concept. Change is in precision.

Better Data Precision

Billable Impervious Area

• Billable area is only within the parcel border

• Impervious areas in the right of way are not charged.

Detroit Green Credit System

Purpose Provide incentives for property owners to control flows on site

Provide opportunities for property owners to reduce their bills

The System Benefit Reduce the amount of stormwater that is treated at the WWTP

Reduce the amount of stormwater that is treated at CSO facilities

Defer additional CSO investment

Reduce overloading of sewer system

Property Owner Benefit Reduced drainage charge

Improved on site level of service

Contributes to a reduction in overall cost for DWSD – helps control future increases

How Credits are Calculated

• Bill is broken down into components

• Credit is based on progress that a property owner can make toward controlling their flow

• Credit is based on performance

Activity 2 – Prototype Projects

• Projects to learn from

• Learning objectives:

• Process

• Institutional arrangements

• Cost

• Performance

• Timeline

• Public Acceptance

Ecological Restoration of Demolition Sites

Entity Primary Interest Role

University of Michigan Water Center

Design and Social Impact of Practices

Project concept, site selection, concept and landscape design, outreach

Detroit Land Bank Demolition of homes and land management

Land owner, site selection, demolition coordination, public outreach to neighboring properties

DWSD Stormwater management

Site selection, engineering, construction, flow monitoring, funding design/ construction

Wayne State University

Impact of stormwater on microbes

Sampling for biological impacts, monitoring access

Erb Family Foundation

Green infrastructure in Detroit

Funder for UM and Wayne State Research

City of Detroit BSEED

Zoning and code enforcement

Permitting and approvals

City of Detroit DPW

Right of way Permitting and approvals

December 2, 2015 34

35

36

Resultant Project

• Use two lots

• Center bioretention

• Allows for gentle side slopes to adjacent houses

December 2, 2015 37

38

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Research Social ◊ Rainfall ◊ Flow ◊ Quality ◊ Groundwater

• Hydrograph Modification – Flow to WWTP – Impact to CSOs

• Infiltration Optimization • Groundwater Mounding • Social Acceptance

– U of M

• Water Quality – U of M

42

Neighborhood Projects

• Objective: Use mix of public right of way, and publically owned parcels for stormwater management and beneficial community assets.

Control of SW Runoff

Neighborhood

Stability Reduced Stress

Flooding Damage

Reduction Property

Values

Environmental

Social Economic

Historic Stream Corridors – Potential

45

Brightmoor

Other Projects

• Greening of Public Properties

– Schools

– Public Housing

• Transportation Corridor Projects

– Bioswales

– Permeable Pavement

• Parks Green Infrastructure

– Controlling runoff from streets in the parks

Detroit Public Schools

(or former schools….)

Activity 3 – Continued Implementation

• Downspout Disconnections • Tree Plantings (7,200 to

date) • Demolition Funding

Activity 4 – Long Term Performance

• Monitoring and modeling

• Maximum impact

• Maximum CSO reduction

• Maintenance

• Cost Effectiveness

Activity 5 – Stakeholder and Community Engagement

BSEED

Planning

DPW

Housing General Services

- Buildings and Parks

Assessors Office

Neighbor- hoods

CIT

Y D

EPA

RTM

ENTS

AN

D A

UTH

OR

ITIE

S

Financial Planning Division

GIS Group

Water Supply

Operations

Public Affairs

Asset Mgmt.

Wastewater Operations

Commercial Operations

• Detroit Land Bank Authority

• Detroit Building Authority

Buildings and

Safety

Doing More With Less

• Maximize the beneficial work of others

• Encourage or require private sector investment

• Implement projects with multiple benefits

Accomplishments

• Impervious acres removed*: 600 acres

• Property owner controls: 470 acres

• Development land affected: 80 acres

• Implementation projects: 15 acres

1165 acres

• Approximately 1 BG of stormwater managed annually.

• Since 2010

QUESTIONS?