Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/194514
Sarasota News Leader October 18, 2013 Page 76 ALLEY BECOMES TEST CASE FOR LOW-IMPACT STORMWATER PROJECT With city officials' eye on sustainability and low impact development, an alley in downtown Sarasota has become "a test case for an innovative way to improve stormwater quality," the City of Sarasota has announced. A new stormwater filtration system was installed underground when scheduled improvements were made to the alley behind Main Street from Lemon Avenue to Central Avenue, a news release says. waterways and ultimately into Sarasota Bay. The goal of this pilot filtration system is to clean that runoff before it reaches the storm drain." The system is designed to capture the first one-half inch of rainfall, and the pollutants, which wash down the alley. The runoff will go through a 4-foot by 40-foot area of permeable block pavers (PaveDrain®) and then filter through a system of rocks and sand, the release explains. The water will flow through a perforated pipe encased with a filter sock before being deposited as filtered water into the storm drain, the release notes. "Urban stormwater runoff is the third largest water pollution source," explained Alison Albee, City of Sarasota environmental specialist, in the release. "That runoff is untreated and includes grease, oil, chemicals, debris "Many pollutants, including oil and grease, and nutrients. And, it flows untreated into our spill into alleys from businesses and flow into A crew works on a pilot project for an innovative stormwater program in downtown Sarasota. Photo courtesy City of Sarasota