City promoting eco-friendly initiatives

[davidinalameda]

Whether it's connecting a down spout to a rain barrel or turning paved surfaces into grassy areas, the city of Huntington is promoting green infrastructure initiatives as a way to lessen the negative effects of storm water.

And some residents and businesses are buying into the new approach.

Every time a heavy downpour moves through Huntington, a few of its main arteries are swallowed by water, making driving a nuisance at best and a potential life-threatening situation at worst for motorists. Basement flooding is another common problem, particularly in the city's Southside neighborhood.

The reasons behind Huntington's storm water woes are two-fold, city officials say. First, a large portion of Huntington's sewer system, much of which is a century old, consists of lines that carry both storm water and sewage. The combined lines often overflow during heavy rain, which prevents the city's wastewater treatment plant from treating the water. Instead, millions of gallons of untreated water flow into streams, rivers, basements and streets.

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/homepage/x812094639/Huntington-promoting-eco-friendly-initiatives