From too much water, to nutrient pollution, to lead-contaminated pipes, Midwestern cities are turning to climate resilient strategies.
The Great Lakes region is ground zero for some of the nation’s most complex stormwater runoff and flooding, equity and affordability issues. Since 2023, WaterNow has been working with American Rivers and other partners to create a Funding Dashboard for smaller Lake Michigan communities designed to help them implement and identify funding sources for resiliency initiatives.
The Dashboard is growing to include shoreline communities in Illinois and Ohio as well. It emphasizes the multiple benefits that can accrue from affordable, nature-based stormwater management resilience strategies, and demonstrates how to align projects with priority funding, and to credibly calculate the value of multiple benefits.
As home to some of the nation’s older cities, the area also faces significant challenges in addressing lead in drinking water services lines (LSLs). WaterNow is working with a Chicago-based coalition to expand financing options that are affordable for ratepayers, while accelerating the timeframe for replacement from 70 years to something closer to 10 years, to help mitigate this public health crisis.
Check out a selection of the Great Lakes Funding Resiliency Dashboard resources below or click the “Explore” button to access the full dashboard.
Webinar
Case Study
News
Report
Report
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