Photo by Evangelidis
Gray infrastructure—pipes and traditional water treatment systems—is necessary alongside green infrastructure (rain gardens, roof gardens, etc).
Stormwater management is a difficult issue, and one that got recent press in Michael Hawthorne's Chicago Tribune article "Deep Tunnel, shallow thinking?" The article stresses the need for green infrastructure—measures such as rain gardens, roof gardens, rain barrels and bioswales.
MPC Program Director Josh Ellis responded to the Tribune using their new video letter to the editor option, reminding us that while green infrastructure is integral to any effective stormwater management system, traditional gray infrastructure measures like the Deep Tunnel project can be just as important: