Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2008 - (Page 20)

WATER CONTROL Low Impact Stormwater Management Chicago suburb benefits from CocaCola Bottling Company’s support of sustainable solution to stormwater runoff. By Phil L. Stuepfert Coca Cola employees building the rain garden I ncreased environmental awareness is generating a lot of interest in low-impact and sustainable stormwater solutions – such as rain gardens and bio-swales. Their ability to alleviate local drainage and flooding problems while improving water quality by reducing pollution downstream, coupled with the added benefit of increased aesthetics makes them ideal options. Recently, Coca-Cola Enterprises Bottling Companies and the Village of Niles, Illinois (a northern suburb of Chicago) formed a public/private partnership and embarked on building a sustainable rain garden park. The company hired the SEC Group, who together with the village, designed and implemented the first phase of this environmentally friendly park in June of 2008. Project Goal The primary goal was to improve a depleted site, cleanse polluted stormwater runoff, and recharge the groundwater while inspiring and educating area residents, business owners, schools, public officials and other surrounding communities about the benefits of sustainable stormwater practices. Kevin Morris, Vice President of Public Affairs & Communications for Coca-Cola, believed it was a very important task for over 150 employees that participated in the event. “Our company is focused on water stewardship as a way to minimize the environmental footprint of our business. We are committed to conserving water in our operations and protecting watersheds everywhere we operate,” he said. “This project not only benefits the environment and the community of Niles, but it enabled our managers to physically partake in water conservation. We are all extremely proud to be a part of this exciting project.” The site lies within a sensitive regional watershed, on the North Branch of the Chicago River, which covers over 44 square miles in Cook County, and over 50 square miles in neighboring Lake County. The Metropolitan Reclamation District of Greater Chicago is implementing a watershed-management plan throughout the region to focus on improving water quality. The Master plan of the rain garden project plan calls for a watershed action plan which includes best management practices such as rain gardens and bio-swales because potentially polluted stormwater runoff can have local and regional impacts. The runoff leaving the Coca-Cola Rain Garden site will eventually make its way to the Illinois River, which flows into the Mississippi River and is ultimately released into the Gulf of Mexico. Coca-Cola and the Village of Niles 20 October 2008 Sustainable Land Development Today

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Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2008

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