The city of Hermosa Beach, Calif., has received nearly $1.3 million in federal Recovery Act (economic stimulus) funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and State Water Resources Control Board. The funding from EPA’s Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund supports improved storm water management through a “Greenstreet” retrofit of Pier Avenue.
The infiltration and storm drain elements that this project introduces are different from traditional storm water management systems. In Southern California, urban storm water runoff is the No. 1 cause of pollution in coastal waters. Storm water runoff is made worse by the density of impervious surfaces in urban areas like roads, buildings and parking lots.
“The city of Hermosa Beach should be commended for applying innovative low impact development tools to address urban runoff and protect beach users,” said John Kemmerer, associate Water Div. director for EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. “Retrofit projects like this are particularly challenging. This is an example of how cities can address storm water pollution in a sustainable manner and at the same time create beautiful public spaces for their residents.”
The Pier Avenue improvement project includes a new storm drain system designed to address existing flooding problems and reduce storm water pollution to the nearby beach. The new drainage system will incorporate an innovative infiltration system that will retain storm water runoff, irrigate new drought-tolerant landscaping and divert runoff that would otherwise end up in the ocean, according to EPA. A notable green feature of this project is its use of reclaimed water service for this and future landscape irrigation in the downtown area.
Low impact development tools mimic natural hydrologic conditions, and include increasing permeable, vegetated areas to assist the infiltration and evapotranspiration of storm water, in turn minimizing the volume of storm water discharges. By using low impact development tools, pollutant flows are reduced and the need for more expensive traditional treatment is minimized, EPA said.
In Hermosa, beaches are considered impaired because they exceed the state’s bacteria standard. This retrofit project is designed to reduce discharges of bacteria-laden storm water. It also includes features to control trash that would otherwise be discharged to the ocean.
