01 November 2009
Low Impact Development = Reduced Costs
11/04/2009 11:38 Filed in: Low Impact
Development
Reducing Stormwater Costs through Low Impact
Development (LID) Strategies and Practices
Information from EPA’s report Reducing Stormwater Costs through Low Impact Development (LID)
Q: What is low impact development (LID)? A: LID comprises a set of site design approaches and small-scale stormwater management practices that are designed to reduce runoff and associated pollutants from the site at which they are generated. By means of infiltration, evapotranspiration, and reuse of rainwater, LID techniques manage water and water pollutants at the source and thereby prevent or reduce the impact of development on rivers, streams, lakes, coastal waters, and ground water.
Q: What was the range of cost savings seen in Low Impact Development (LID) case studies?
A: The case studies presented in this report show that LID practices can be both fiscally and environmentally beneficial to communities. Site-specific factors influence project outcomes, but in general, for projects where open space was preserved and cluster development designs were employed, infrastructure costs were lower. In most cases, significant savings were realized due to reduced costs for site grading and preparation, stormwater infrastructure, site paving, and landscaping. Total capital cost savings ranged from 15 to 80 percent when LID methods were used, with a few exceptions in which LID project costs were higher than conventional stormwater management costs.
Q: Where can you get more information?
A: You can find more information at EPA’s Green Infrastructure Web site at: www.epa.gov/npdes/greeninfrastructure and at EPA’s LID Web site: www.epa.gov/nps/lid .
Information from EPA’s report Reducing Stormwater Costs through Low Impact Development (LID)
Q: What is low impact development (LID)? A: LID comprises a set of site design approaches and small-scale stormwater management practices that are designed to reduce runoff and associated pollutants from the site at which they are generated. By means of infiltration, evapotranspiration, and reuse of rainwater, LID techniques manage water and water pollutants at the source and thereby prevent or reduce the impact of development on rivers, streams, lakes, coastal waters, and ground water.
Q: What was the range of cost savings seen in Low Impact Development (LID) case studies?
A: The case studies presented in this report show that LID practices can be both fiscally and environmentally beneficial to communities. Site-specific factors influence project outcomes, but in general, for projects where open space was preserved and cluster development designs were employed, infrastructure costs were lower. In most cases, significant savings were realized due to reduced costs for site grading and preparation, stormwater infrastructure, site paving, and landscaping. Total capital cost savings ranged from 15 to 80 percent when LID methods were used, with a few exceptions in which LID project costs were higher than conventional stormwater management costs.
Q: Where can you get more information?
A: You can find more information at EPA’s Green Infrastructure Web site at: www.epa.gov/npdes/greeninfrastructure and at EPA’s LID Web site: www.epa.gov/nps/lid .