CWSRF programs are well-positioned to help address water quality issues caused by stormwater runoff through the financing of gray and green infrastructure solutions.

Green infrastructure solutions eligible for CWSRF assistance include:

• Green roofs, green streets, and green walls;
• Rainwater harvesting collection, storage, management, and distribution systems;
• Real-time control systems for harvested rainwater;
• Infiltration basins;
• Constructed wetlands, including surface flow and subsurface flow (e.g., gravel) wetlands; Bioretention/bioswales (e.g., rain gardens, tree boxes);
• Permeable pavement;
• Wetland/riparian/shoreline creation, protection, and restoration;
• Establishment/restoration of urban tree canopy; and
• Replacement of gray infrastructure with green infrastructure including purchase and demolition costs.

Gray infrastructure solutions eligible for CWSRF assistance include:

• Traditional pipe, storage, and treatment systems;
• Real-time control systems for CSO management; and
• Sediment controls including (e.g., filter fences, storm drain inlet protection, street sweepers, and vacuum trucks).

Funding Stormwater Management with the Clean Water State Revolving Fund
This fact sheet demonstrates how the CWSRF provides assistance to eligible recipients for stormwater management projects. It highlights successful stormwater management programs in New Jersey and New Mexico.

Success Stories

Green Infrastructure Projects and State Activities: CWSRF Innovations
This report highlights several projects funded by ARRA that illustrate the importance of building partnerships among various stakeholders and how different green infrastructure technologies and practices can be applied in different settings.

Innovative Stormwater Management: Spokane Urban Runoff Greenways Ecosystem
Spokane, Washington developed the Spokane Urban Runoff Greenway Ecosystem (SURGE) program to retrofit the existing urban landscape of curb and gutter systems in several places. The city uses low-impact and green infrastructure strategies to mimic the natural hydrologic process. These strategies include capturing, treating, and infiltrating stormwater runoff to study the impact on water quality.

Collaborative Watershed Restoration Plan: Maine’s Project to Improve Casco Bay
The Long Creek Restoration Project received $2.1 million in ARRA loan funding from Maine’s CWSRF to implement the recommendations of the Long Creek Watershed Management Plan. The project includes the installation of a variety of green stormwater components such as vegetative bioswales and soil media filters to reduce pollutant loadings in Casco Bay.

Integrating Green Infrastructure with Community Needs: El Cerrito Green Streets Project
The El Cerrito Redevelopment Agency, in combination with the San Francisco Estuary Partnership, obtained a $392,000 loan with 100 percent principal forgiveness through ARRA for the construction of a series of rain gardens and bioswales along San Pablo Avenue in El Cerrito, California.

Project Video

EPA Supports Green Stormwater Management in Lenexa, Kansas -
The City of Lenexa, Kansas used CWSRF ARRA funds to construct the Central Green Streamway, an innovative stormwater management solution that protects water quality while providing recreational and educational opportunities for residents.

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