Green Infrastructure
Newark is letting the rain Slow Down, Spread Out and Soak In!
The City of Newark Department of Water & Sewer Utilities is implementing a multi-phase green stormwater infrastructure (GSI or GI) program, RainReady Newark.
RainReady Newark leverages cost-effective, nature-based resiliency solutions which benefit the community through managing stormwater, reducing the impacts of urban heat islands, improving air quality, increasing property values, improving wildlife habitats, reducing toxic sewer overflows, neighborhood beautification, increased local work opportunities and more.
Green infrastructure will help the city to manage stormwater and will provide additional benefits such as:
Bioswales are essentially rain gardens placed in long narrow spaces such as the space between the sidewalk and the curb.
Bioswales
Permeable pavement is a good example of a practice that catches water where it falls.
Permeable Pavement
Green Streets combine more than one feature to capture and treat stormwater
Green Streets
City trees, or tree canopy, soak up stormwater, provide cooling shade and help to slow traffic
City Trees
Here are just some of the ways green infrastructure can make a difference in your community.
Increased Green Space as a large component of the RainReady Newark project will be replacing impervious surfaces with green space that includes some element of drainage or stormwater capture.
Improved Urban Heat Island Effect by reducing impervious surface in our city, Newark can be much warmer during summer heat waves than our more suburban neighbors.
Improved Air Quality by increasing foliage along rights-of-ways and planting trees and shrubbery.
Parking Lots
Parking lots are a good place to install infrastructure that can capture stormwater that would usually flow into the sewer system.
Planter Boxes
Planter boxes are an attractive tool for filtering stormwater as well as reducing the runoff that goes into a sewer system.