An ecological approach to stormwater management (presentation summary)
About the Speaker: Sharyn Inward has 20 years of experience researching, developing, funding,
implementing, managing and evaluating community-based environmental awareness and action
programs. Notable examples include Cancer Prevention (Women’s Health and Environmental Network);
Well Aware and Pesticide Free Naturally (Green Communities Canada). Latest work includes developing
and implementing the RAIN Program (addressing lot-level stormwater management in eight Ontario
communities) for Green Communities Canada and designing green buildings and houses.
Associated Websites:
Green Communities Canada: www.greencommunitiescanada.org
RAIN: www.slowrain.ca, www.depaveparadise.ca, www.raingardentour.ca
Presentation:
Introduction
Green Communities Canada (GCC) is a national association of community organizations that help
people go green – in their homes and gardens, on the road, at work, and in the community.
GCC takes positive action for a green and healthy future by partnering with

community orgs across Canada
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municipal, other partnerships and joint programs
The problem
Everybody lives on the shoreline – connected through the storm sewers.
The solution
Stormwater is a waste product; people don’t know what to do with it. We use the word rain
instead of stormwater. Rain is a resource. When people realize that they are part of the
problem, and they start to treat rain as a resource, everybody can be part of the solution.
Impacts
The impacts of not managing rain effectively are numerous including flooding damage, liability,
water contamination. Municipalities are facing infrastructure deficits and can’t always keep up
with fixing outdated infrastructure (including combined sewers, which can overflow in extreme
rainfall events). Whereas in the past non-point source pollution was considered a small issue, it
is now a leading cause of pollution.
Disasters are expensive, but if we are prepared, the costs can be more manageable. Every $1
spent on mitigation saves $4 in disaster costs
RAIN Goals
The RAIN program was established to engage communities and landowners in positively and
effectively managing rain to:

Reduce run-off

Prevent pollution
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Restore natural hydrological processes
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Replenish aquifers
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Focus on existing built environment
Rain Projects focus on three aspects of rain management:
1. Slow it down. Capture, store, slow release of rainwater can be done using rain barrels,
disconnecting downspouts, and enhancing urban canopy (trees slow the volume of rain by 30%)
2. Soak it up. Using permeable paving and rain gardens to soak up the rain water also reduces the
amount of runoff. The Depave Paradise project brings communities together to tear up nonpermeable pavement, and replace it with permeable options. One example that was given is to
put cuts in the boulevards to allow water to flow off the road into a rain garden, from which any
overflow can run out into the sewers.
3. Keep it Clean. Once rain water hits the ground, it can be contaminated with pet waste, fuels,
solvents, cigarette butts, fertilizer, de-icing salt and many more pollutants. We don’t always get
to see the impact of this, but one clear example is that Cigarette butts are now being found in
the stomachs of fish and turtles. Washing your car at a commercial carwash, using compost
instead of chemical fertilizers, composting pet waste, and using non-toxic alternatives instead of
de-icing salts are some ways to keep rain water clean.
RAIN in the community
RAIN engages communities by giving tours, demonstrations, workshops, and presentations, by
holding workbees and special events, by doing home visits to educate homeowners and
facilitate change, and finally by giving awards and celebrating the progress that is made in
communities.
Some examples of successful RAIN projects
1. Hamilton RAIN
 309 downspouts were disconnected, diverting 7,000 m3 annually
 Rain garden, permeable paving, depaving were demonstrated at EcoHouse and diverts
710 m3 annually
2. Kingston RAIN
 Brought together 11 organizations and 21 businesses
 Focus on depaving: Depave Paradise project at Mulberry School, offered workshop on
how to depave your driveway
3. Kitchener Waterloo Partnership
 Were able to get $1 million from Showcasing Water Innovation
 Both cities used fees and credits
 Were able to use a model in one city, and replicate in the other
 Communicated successes and were able to improve on their projects (e.g. Rain barrel
sale vs. Rain barrel blitz – more volunteers, more advertising, more partners, more
success)
RAIN Home visits
During home visits, the homeowner is taught about how rain moves, and about the path of runoff. They are provided with information about how they can improve the movement of rain on
their property.
Highlights of the RAIN program
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face-to-face contacts: over 2 years talked to 12,000 people at more than 75 events
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depaving: 5,000 feet2
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rain gardens: 0.5 hectares
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plantings: 200 trees, 70 shrubs, 600 plants/flowers

stormwater diverted: 7097 m3 , (plus 500,000 m3 for K-W)
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matching funds: > $200K, (plus $1million for K-W)
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special events: 70/3,000 participants

workshops: 66/1200 participants, nine communities
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media hits: 160
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RAIN home visits: 20 in 2012; 330 in 2013
Other Cities that are investing in rain management initiatives:
1. Portland – $9M investment in green infrastructure has saved $224M in spending
2. Philadelphia – Spending $2.4B to depave 1/3 of paved surfaces
3. Chicago – retrofitting green alleys with permeable paving … original cost was 150%, now costs
the same as conventional paving through competitive bidding process
Cost Comparison: Grey vs. Green Infrastructure
http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/forests-water-us-south
http://insights.wri.org/news/2012/02/payments-watershed-services-pilot-projects-watershedprotection
Slow Rain Saves
In addition to cost savings in infrastructure, and lower clean-up costs, the green infrastructure
also has the benefits of recharging groundwater, conserving water and beautification.
Look to the future
Establish source reduction as first priority for stormwater management