Many Ohio's cities have what's called combined sewer systems. On a rainy day, storm water can flush raw sewage into Lake Erie or Cuyahoga River. But what if the rain can be used for irrigation? Andrew Watterson, who's in charge of Cleveland's Sustainability Programs, says he has a plan for it to happen.
Watterson: "It takes that storm water off of a parking lot or street into a bios well, which is essential a, you know, planter, tree, lawn inverted."
Watterson says Cleveland officials are rethinking the ways to build roads, curbs, and parking lots. His ideal city has a lot more trees and gardens. They absorb and filter storm water so sewer pipes don't get overwhelmed. Cleveland is applying for a federal stimulus grant for green water projects. Top Democrats on the House Infrastructure Committee championed the funding. But some other lawmakers, like Republican Steve LaTourette of Ohio, are skeptical.
"You know, quite frankly, while green everything is what we are supposed to be about here on Capitol Hill, we still have to treat water the old fashioned way as well, and there's not enough money to do it."
Federal officials at the Environmental Protection Agency are encouraging cities to apply for green projects funding. But the term "green" is loosely defined. The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, for example, got five million dollars for saving energy on their water pumps and treatment plants. Other cities got grants for planting trees and gardens to absorb water. Without clear federal guidance, the city of Akron is treading carefully into the field.
McGlinchy: "The jury is still out on what impact the green infrastructure would have."
Michael McGlinchy is Akron's public utilities manager. He says the city is studying Cincinnati, which started to go "green" several years ago.
McGlinchy: "We do know there's an improvement to water quality, that may be difficult to define or measure initially."
The federal government filed a lawsuit against Akron for sewage and storm water overflow into local rivers. The city has a plan to build a storage basin and giant tunnels to prevent rain water from flushing sewer pipes. City officials want to finish the project in thirty years. But the EPA wants it done much sooner. Akron officials sought help from Ohio's members of Congress. Congressman LaTourette is sympathetic.
LaTourette: "It's like a lot of things that the federal government does. It doesn't matter if it's education, water lines of sewer lines. We are great at making rules up here, but we are not great at telling them how we can help them to comply."
LaTourette is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, which directs federal spending. He says he'll try to increase funding for water projects in next year's budget. Republican George Voinovich is trying to do the same thing on the Senate. He's introduced a bill that would make the federal government pay seventy-five percent of the cost for upgrading sewer systems.
Voinovich: "The federal government either pays a larger share of the cost that's been foisted upon these communities, or the alternative, back off and give them a lot more time."
Both Voinovich and LaTourette say they are focused on fixing the existing pipes and treatment plants. Green city enthusiasts, like Cleveland's Andrew Watterson, says it will take time to prove that green infrastructure is cheaper and works better.
For 90.3, I'm Sara Sciammacco, Capitol News Connection in Washington.