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National Monitoring Project in Waterford, CT Hits Major Milestone

Release Date: 10/10/2002
Contact Information: Peyton Fleming, Press Office, (617) 918-1008

BOSTON – Federal, state and local officials met today in Waterford, CT to celebrate the completion of construction of a 30-lot subdivision that will test practices and design features aimed at reducing contaminated runoff that reaches nearby waterways.

The Jordan Cove Urban Watershed National Monitoring Project has generated national interest among water quality management professionals, who are watching to see if “best management practices” being used at the 18-acre Glen Brook Green subdivision significantly reduce the amount of pollution coming from the development.

The project entails building two distinct neighborhoods – one with traditional design features built on conventional half-acre lots, the second with clustered housing and numerous best management practices (BMPs) for reducing pollution – and then monitoring runoff from the two neighborhoods to see if there are significant differences in pollution levels.

EPA, in coordination with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, has spent $680,000 to date on monitoring and BMPs at the subdivision and will spend an additional $100,000 each of the next three years for post-construction monitoring. The monitoring and research is being conducted by Professor John Clausen of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Connecticut. This project is one of 23 nationwide approved under EPA’s National Monitoring Program.

“Whether it’s new homes or an office park, these projects need to be built in a way that minimizes damage to our water resources,” said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA’s New England Office, who attended the ceremony. “By building two distinct neighborhoods and carefully evaluating pollution runoff from these sites, the Jordan Cove project will greatly improve our understanding of the impacts of new development on the environment and how we can reduce those impacts.”

“The Jordan Cove monitoring project is a real life example of neighborhood-level environmental stewardship where innovative land use practices have been applied to reduce pollution and improve the quality of life of the residents who live in this urban subdivision,” said DEP Deputy Commissioner Jane Stahl. “Not only will the residents of this subdivision benefit from this national project, the ideas and practices utilized at Jordan Cove can be applied across Connecticut and the country to improve water quality, becoming the standard for the design and construction of residential neighborhoods nationwide.”

The Glen Brook Green subdivision has two sections – 18 units designed in a traditional manner and 12 units using features meant to minimize runoff pollution. The first section has building lots in a conventional half-acre zoning pattern, with street curbs and gutters. The other section has zoning that allows single-family homes to be clustered together with a narrow road constructed with permeable paving blocks. It also has grass-lined swales, or ditches, to carry stormwater, and other practices designed to reduce the quantity of and pollution in stormwater runoff.

Stormwater runoff from the “traditional” section will be collected by curbs and catch basins, then piped through a stormwater treatment system before entering Nevins Brook, a tributary of Jordan Brook and, ultimately, Jordan Cove and Long Island Sound. Homeowners will not be subjected to any enhanced environmental education, or restrictions on how they manage their properties.

In the “green” neighborhood, homeowners and town road maintenance crews will be encouraged to adopt pollution prevention techniques, including controlled fertilizer and pesticide application, pet waste management, street sweeping/vacuuming, and reduced use of salt and other de-icing agents.

This neighborhood is expected to create less stormwater runoff and pollution. Monitoring conducted by University of Connecticut researchers before, during and after construction will document actual results. At the celebration today, officials recognized the end of construction in the BMP section of the subdivision and the start of the final three-year monitoring phase.

Urban communities around the country face increasingly stringent stormwater management requirements that often conflict with traditional subdivision regulations and construction standards. This project will help determine whether new subdivisions can use design features that are more sensitive to the environment.

For instance, the project will help determine if impervious surfaces, like paved roads, and building footprints can be reduced, and curbing and storm drains be eliminated in a way that will not raise objections from municipal boards and commissions. It will look at whether homeowners will accept cluster housing, natural landscaping and “greener” home and yard maintenance practices. And most importantly, the project will determine whether these modifications make a difference in the quality and quantity of stormwater runoff.

The Jordan Cove project team involves a public/private partnership, including researchers and educators from the University of Connecticut; federal, state, and local government officials; private consulting firms, and the developer.

This site was selected for several reasons, including its topography, which lent to its ability to be monitored effectively; Waterford’s reputation for progressive land use planning and regulation, and, above all, property owner and developer John Lombardi Jr.’s willingness to accommodate the university researchers during the development.

The study also is examining relative costs of the two different development styles. In addition to the anticipated environmental benefits described above, there are economic benefits associated with green development. A stormwater management system with less pavement, grass-lined ditches, and infiltration practices is less expensive to construct than traditional wide roads, curbs and storm drain systems found in most residential subdivisions. Typical “curb and gutter” drainage systems cost $45 to $50 per linear foot to install, while grass-lined ditches cost $10 to $15. Smaller yards and lawn areas require less maintenance by the homeowner.

Developer Lombardi believes his new units also will be more attractive to buyers.

“Prospective buyers really like the overall appearance of the green neighborhood, especially the paving blocks, open space areas and landscaping,” Lombardi said. “These added features have made it more attractive for homebuyers and, as a result, have enhanced property values.”