BIRMINGHAM GREEN

BY NICHOLAS J. DUPUIS, PLANNING DIRECTOR

April showers bring May flowers! We all need to take part to help protect our nearby water bodies by storing rainwater for reuse and/or filtering water back into the ground For a modest 1,500 square foot home, as much as 5,000 gallons of water from a one-inch rainstorm can run off the roof, driveway, patio and even lawns Urban rainwater runoff goes into storm pipes, or ditches, both of which can go straight to natural water bodies such as the Rouge River or Quarton Lake. Rain barrels, rain gardens, cisterns and pervious pavement are all readily available tools to help any homeowner in Birmingham reduce runoff from their property.

Even better, did you know that the city offers Storm Water Utility Credits? Are you interested in learning more about how you can help? We would like to talk to you about it! For information and resources on where to start, contact Nick Dupuis (Planning Director) at (248) 530-1856 or by email at ndupuis@bhamgov.org.