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07/21/2021 08:30 AMIn an effort to better manage the environmental impacts of stormwater, the town is joining with UConn experts to study different sites around Clinton that could benefit from design improvements.
This summer, the town partnered with the UConn Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) through its Stormwater Corps program. The program provides consulting to towns that could potentially benefit from redesigns of impervious surfaces like parking lots into low-impact options that help control stormwater.
Access to the Long Island Sound is an important feature of Clinton, not just for the recreational opportunities, but also for the town’s economy. A plethora of businesses in town pay their bills off of some aspect connected to the Sound, not to mention the thousands of visitors it draws to the area. As such, protecting the Sound is of paramount importance.
One way of doing that in managing stormwater run-off. The runoff from stormwater eventually finds itself into the Sound, and carry with it harmful substances that pollute the water.
Clinton is mandated by the state to address stormwater runoff and Town Manager Karl Kilduff said by participating with CLEAR the town will see a number of benefits. Besides fulfilling the mandated requirement, the program will also hopefully inform the public about the ways to control stormwater run off and why doing so is so important. Kilduff added that the town’s Public Works Department staff will also be trained to assist with the installation of any redesigns, which will teach them techniques that could be replicated at other sites around town.
Kilduff explained that this summer the UConn program targeted the towns in the South-Central Council of Governments and the watershed in which Clinton is located. During the week of June 28, Kilduff said that the students examined the schools, the Henry Carter Hull Library, the Indian River complex, the Police Department, Town Hall, the Annex, the Town Dock, and two green spaces.
“There was an emphasis on looking at municipal property as implementation could move faster that working with a private property owner,” explained Kilduff.
With the study period over, the program will now be designing different options for the town to possibly implement at one of the sites. A presentation will be made to the town and design options weighed.
“The goal is to identify at least one project that could be beneficial to controlling stormwater run-off,” said Kilduff. Kilduff added that by using this service there may also be funding options quickly available for any chosen project.
“Unique to this summer’s work, the Stormwater Corps received prior grant funding to support the installation of low-impact development solutions. So, in addition to the consulting work done by the students, resources are also available to Clinton that can implement one of the recommendations immediately,” said Kilduff.
This isn’t the first time the town has partnered with UConn to study some environmental issues. In 2018, the town partnered with UConn’s Connecticut Brownfields Initiative to assess the development potential of brownfield sites around town. One of the studied sites was the former Unilever Headquarters, which has been the subject of serious redevelopment plans since mid-2019.