For decades, Kansas City has treated stormwater as something to remove from the city as quickly as possible.
Now, city leaders and engineers may develop green infrastructure designed to absorb stormwater where it falls. This “sponge city” strategy, already in use in Minnesota and Texas, includes features such as rain gardens and permeable pavement.
“By not doing this, we forego the opportunity to beautify our community, create new community assets, enhance habitat, improve biodiversity, [and] improve water quality,” Tom Jacobs, environment director at Mid-America Regional Council, told KCUR’s Up to Date. “These are all things that we can do, and it doesn’t cost extra money. We’re just doing it differently.”…