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Current Environmental Topic - Nonpoint Source Pollution/Low Impact Development

“Going Green with LID technology to reduce NPS” Nonpoint source pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, can come from many different sources. Stormwater runoff carries pollutants into our streams, rivers, reservoirs and other bodies of water. An estimated 60 percent of current water pollution is attributed to stormwater runoff. Nonpoint source pollution can contaminate drinking water, destroy wildlife habitat, close beaches, kill fish and cause many other serious environmental and public health problems. Every year, millions of dollars are spent to restore and protect areas damaged by nonpoint source pollutants. Stormwater has been identified as one of the leading sources of pollution for all waterbody types in the United States. Furthermore, the impacts of stormwater pollution are not static; they usually increase with more development and urbanization. One of the most exciting new trends in managing stormwater runoff is the increased use of Low Impact Development (LID) to help protect and restore water quality. LID comprises a set of approaches and practices that are designed to reduce runoff of water and pollutants from the site at which they are generated. By means of infiltration, evapotranspiration, and reuse of rainwater, LID techniques manage water and water pollutants at the source and thereby prevent or reduce the impact of development on rivers, streams, lakes, coastal waters, and ground water.

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