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A note from Danene Sorace

Fall 2011

When I moved to the City of Lancaster in 2008, I did not dream I would be spearheading a campaign to reduce stormwater pollution.  In fact, I didn’t even know what stormwater pollution was.   Like many others, I hadn’t made the connection between rainwater, which is generally a good thing, and pollution.

In the fall of 2008, I was given an opportunity to lead LIVE Green. From the start, I had a steep learning curve but began to understand the problem, and the solutions.  I also came to realize that these solutions are within reach.

The problem is two-fold.

First, we live in an urban environment that is largely paved over and built up.  Over 30 percent of the City is covered in parking lots.  Another 40 percent is covered by buildings.  Because of this, water can’t be “soaked up” into the ground.  It has nowhere to go except down into one of the 2,000 storm drains.

Second, we have a combined sewer system.  This means that all the water that goes down your drain enters the sewer system along with rainwater.  Flowing rainwater also picks up all the stuff from the streets and sidewalks like oil, antifreeze, salt and pet waste.  This all gets mixed together into a nasty slurry most people don’t like to think about:  sewage.

Eighty-five percent of the time, this polluted water is treated and managed by the City’s wastewater treatment plant. But 15 percent of the time (i.e., during a heavy rain storm), the the system is overwhelmed by the volume and polluted water flows directly into the Conestoga River.  Think ONE BILLION gallons annually.  Yuck.

So that’s the problem.   But why should you care?

  1. We are all going to pay to eliminate these polluting overflows.   It is just a matter of time. It is not news that the Environmental Protection Agency is already reviewing the City’s long-term plan to eliminate these overflows.  The City has begun to take proactive steps to address this problem but government alone cannot solve this ongoing stormwater overflow problem.
  1. You have the power to impact how much you have to pay.  Straight up, supporting green infrastructure policies will reduce the cost.

The City of Lancaster has a choice in how they respond to our stormwater problem.  A few years ago, they were considering building a $70 million holding tank to temporarily hold the polluted water until the treatment plant could manage it.  That’s a really expensive fix that addresses less than 20 percent of the problem and it costs money to operate and maintain.  We’d need at least four holding tanks to solve the problem.

Another option, which is far less expensive and more beautiful is green infrastructure.  This is basically a combination of things like porous pavement, rain barrels, cisterns, trees, green roofs and rain gardens.  On an individual project scale, these don’t cost a lot to build, require little energy to maintain and potentially involve all of Lancaster City’s businesses and its people.  Recent research has shown that greener cities have less crime and people report being happier!

Our upstream problem is someone else’s downstream problem.  Lancaster County waterways flow into the Chesapeake Bay.   You know that story well by now.

You can be part of the solution!  Here’s how:

Do your part.  Conserve water in your home.  Don’t pollute. Plant a tree. Install a rain garden.  Want more ideas? Call LIVE Green to schedule a residential audit and we’ll take a walk around your property, offer recommendations and connect you with local vendors who can help you get it done.

Support LIVE Green.  Your financial contribution helps us continue to work in Lancaster City neighborhoods to implement green infrastructure projects, assist in securing grant funding to construct projects, provide low- or no-cost trees and rain barrels, and represent the voice of the community in the policy making process.

By doing your part and supporting LIVE Green you will be contributing to the reduction of millions of gallons of dirty, unhealthy stormwater flowing into the Conestoga River each year.  Our goal is to eliminate ONE BILLION gallons of overflows.  It is a big number, but together we can get it done!  The result will be beautiful for our City and our community.  We’ll be doing our part for the Chesapeake Bay, too.

Feel free to contact me at 875.3038 or danene@livelancaster.org with any questions or suggestions you might have.   We welcome your ideas to promote our collective efforts.  If you already have a green infrastructure project – big or small – tell us about it!  We’d love to profile you in an upcoming portfolio of “Water Heroes.”

Sincerely,
Danene Sorace

Executive Director

P.S.  I look forward to hearing from you soon as we work together to get this done.

 

LIVE Green, PO Box 509, Lancaster, PA 17608

 

 

A list of accomplishments from 2010:

All together, these projects represent over $1,300,000 of investment into Lancaster City.

Please consider making an investment in this work by sending a check (address below) or clicking on the link below.

Thank you very much for your consideration of this request and all you do to support greening.  Have a wonderful holiday and healthy, prosperous New Year!

Sincerely,

Andrea Campbell
Board Chair

P.S. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, gifts to LIVE Green are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed.  Please make checks payable to LIVE Green and send to PO Box 509, Lancaster, PA 17603.  Interested in learning more, call us!  717.669.5990.

Support our mission of building strong and healthy communities through environmental projects by donating to the organization directly.  Your support is greatly appreciated!

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