Implementing Green Infrastructure in Atlanta

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City of Atlanta

Mayor Kasim Reed

Department of Watershed Management

SESWA

Southeast Regional Stormwater Seminar

April 9, 2014

Jo Ann J. Macrina, P.E.

Implementing

Green Infrastructure

in Atlanta

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City of Atlanta Watershed Management

 Serves population of 1.2 million (450,000 night)

• Adequate water supply and treatment capacity

 2 ½ water treatment plants, 112 MGD (2 plants)

• Adequate wastewater treatment plant capacity

 4 wastewater treatment plants, 184 MGD

 6 CSO facilities

 Regional provider; 6 wholesale govt.

customers

 2,750 mi of water mains

 1,900+ mi of sewer (50‐100 yrs old)

• 15% combined, 85% separated

 1,475 positions

 Annual budget $595M

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Watershed Management – Pre 2000

 Long‐term system under‐investment

 Failed water utility privatization

• Consent Orders

 Flawed stormwater utility fee imposed

• $7 million refunded

 2 Wastewater Consent Decrees

• 100+ overflows/yr at CSO facilities

• 1,000 sewer spills in year 2000

 Poor image

• Insensitive

• Inactive

• Incompetent

• Irresponsible

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CSO Consent Decree Success

 Consent Decree issued Sept 1998, full compliance by Nov 2008

 Reduced CSOs from ~100/yr to an expected average of 4/yr

• CSOs perform better than designed

 Total cost: $711M

West Area CSO Tunnel Boring Machine

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SSO Consent Decree

 Consent Decree issued Dec 1999, full compliance by July 2014 (*extension)

 Phased Approach to Capital Improvement Program

• Phase I ‐ Sewer System Evaluation Survey (1600 miles)

• Phase II ‐ Sewer Rehabilitation

• Phase III ‐ Sewer Capacity Relief

• Total ‐‐ $1.4 Billion Capital Program

 Preventive Maintenance Program

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Post – 2000 Highest W&S Rates in US

Atlanta, GA ‐ 2012 Atlanta, GA **

San Diego, CA Gwinnett County, GA Columbus, OH Detroit, MI Washington, DC Nashville, TN New York, NY

2008 Water/Wastewater Rate Survey

American Water Works Association Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc.

Residential User Charges ‐ 10 CCF

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Compliance at a Price

71% decrease in number of spills to waters of the state

Success!

410 454

377 394 433

242

187 209 222

151 150 133 90

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

# of Spills

Year

Yearly Public Sanitary Sewer Spill Totals 1/1/01 ‐ 8/31/13

$0

$100,000,000

$200,000,000

$300,000,000

$400,000,000

$500,000,000

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Water and Wastewater System Capital Improvements 2003 ‐ 2009 Fixed Asset Data

Water Wastewater

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Mayor Kasim Reed

 Commitment to Community

 Provide effective solutions for real issues

 Community involvement

 Take action and follow through

 Commitment to Sustainable Initiatives

• Focus on green solutions

• Focus on decreased carbon footprint

• Focus on reduced energy consumption

 Commitment to Environmental Protection

 Comply with all regulations

 Manage infrastructure responsibly

 Build partnerships with state and federal

agencies

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2011 - New Strategic Direction

 Reorganization of the Department

• Focus on goals and priorities

 Customer service

 Safe workplace

 Regulatory compliance

 Efficient Operations

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Achieving the Goals through New Initiatives

 Financial flexibility with CD extension

• 13 year extension; longest in U.S. (1999‐2027)

• Approx $450M work remaining

• Ability to balance all needs

 Integrated Water Resources

• Data analysis

• Asset management

• Utilize technology

• Sustainability & Green Infrastructure

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Promoting Sustainability

 Goal of green infrastructure ‐ mimic the natural hydrologic function

• preserving conservation areas

• reducing impervious surfaces

• installing aesthetically‐pleasing structural measures such as



green roofs, vegetated swales, permeable

pavement, infiltration planters, cisterns, and rain gardens.

 An alternative approach to managing stormwater runoff

 Decreasing energy consumption

 Waste to energy program

 Enhancing aesthetics and public access/use

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Southeast Atlanta Green Infrastructure Initiative

 Background

• Homes built in historic stream channels; low lying areas where stormwater naturally drain

 Stream channels were piped; floodplains still exist due to pipe overflows from capacity limitations

 Combined sewer area out of conveyance capacity

• Limited capacity often exceeded by high rainfall events

• Stormwater runoff exacerbated by higher amounts of impervious cover running across hard surfaces at greater velocities

• Over time, systems cannot accommodate developments

 Partial improvements made, leaving other problems

 Typical solutions can be disruptive, cost prohibitive

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Computer Simulation of Existing Conditions 25 year 4 hour “Critical” Storm

Drainage Area

Total Area (acres)

Impervious

% Mechanicsville

/ Peoplestown 900 65%

Summerhill 505 58%

Grant Park 380 42%

Englewood

Manor 715 42%

Assessment of Issues

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Phased Approach & Community Input

 Action Plan

• Immediate Response – Completed w/in 30 days

• Short Term Projects – Completed w/in 6 months

• Intermediate Projects ‐ NTP: One completed, one in bid evaluation

• Long Term Projects ‐ In Design

 Follow‐up Meetings with Community

• Communicate phased approach

• Inform them of alternatives &

schedule

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Short-Term Projects – March 2013 completed

Bioswale – Hill St

Rain Garden – Dunbar Elementary School Rain Garden – Whitehall Terrace

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

Media Lot Vault

• Completed Feb 28, 2014



Permeable Pavers



Additional vaults – in design



Wet detention ponds – in design

Intermediate Projects

Media Lot Vault

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Intermediate Projects – Permeable Pavers

 ~6 miles of permeable pavers:

• Mechanicsville

• Peoplestown

• Summerhill

After Before

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Other Atlanta Green Infrastructure Projects

Green Roof

City Hall Rainwater Harvesting Southface

Rain Garden Adair Park

Pervious Paving English Park

Bioswale Fernbank Museum Stormwater Planters

Juniper Street

Pervious Concrete Felder Street Stormwater Bump-out

Whitehall Terrace

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 Opened 2011

 Combined Sewer Capacity relief

 17-acre park, 2-acre pond

Historic Fourth Ward Park

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 ^Community

• Addresses drainage issues in historic neighborhoods that are being redeveloped

• Maximizes infrastructure investments by further reducing combined sewer overflows and flooding

 Environmental Protection

• Improves water quality in our surface waters

• Supports Mayor Reed’s sustainability initiatives

 ^Compliance

• Complies with NPDES permit – Removing Barriers

• Prepares the City for potential changes in federal stormwater rules

Why use GI in Atlanta?

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 Revised ordinance promotes green infrastructure

 Offers alternatives to developers

 Requires retention of runoff from 1-inch storm

 Adopted by Atlanta City Council February 2013

Post-Development Stormwater Management Ordinance

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 Coordinating with the development community for a balanced approach

 Partnerships

 Adopting the ordinance with no direct financial incentives

 Concept Plan & Consultation Meeting

 Refocuses design criteria from peak flow reduction of the rare storms to volume reduction of the more frequent storms

 Outreach & Training

Revised Ordinance-Accomplishments

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Post-Development Training & Outreach

•Technical workshops for design professionals

•Partnerships with

Southface and Atlanta Homebuilders

•Over 1,500 served

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SFR Guidance Document

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Tear-off Detail Sheets

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