Ontario’s Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) has released four case studies and an interactive map demonstrating innovations in stormwater management.
CVC is a conservation authority organization focused on preserving the province’s water, land, and natural habitats through watershed-based programs. The four project case studies in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) showcase current stormwater management strategies in operation. For example, in Mississauga six engineered garden planters and permeable pavement are employed to infiltrate road runoff.
By educating people about these types of projects, they are more likely to gain popularity, Christine Zimmer, CVC’s senior manager of protection and restoration, told Construction Canada Online.
“As results from performance monitoring, lifecycle cost analysis, and successful implementation are more well-known, we expect these practices to become more widespread, making them economically and environmentally more attractive,” she said. “Also, more technologies will be used in combination with one another, such as filters, absorption media, permeable pavers, and green roofs, and across more land uses (e.g. residential, industrial/commercial, and institutional), increasing demand and allowing further refinement, development, and application for the technologies.”
Additionally, the low-impact development (LID) interactive map allows Ontario residents and companies to submit stormwater projects with photos and detailed information.
“This resource encourages broader use of LID practices as an important part of a suite of solutions facing the challenges of aging infrastructure and a changing climate,” explained Zimmer. “It will help build confidence in design, construction, operations, and maintenance of LID practices so they move from demonstration sites to mainstream practice across Ontario, protecting our waterways and lakes, which are the source of drinking water for 10 million Canadians.”
Click here to view the interactive map or upload a stormwater project.
