Cities of all sizes are saving money by employing green infrastructure as part of their solutions to stormwater pollution and sewage overflow problems. In an effort to help promote these practices, the Natural Resources Defense Council's (NRDC) Rooftops to Rivers II provides case studies for 14 geographically diverse cities that are all leaders in employing green infrastructure solutions to address stormwater challenges -- simultaneously finding beneficial uses for stormwater, reducing pollution, saving money, and beautifying cityscapes.

The District of Columbia, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh were all acknowledged by NRDC this year as cities in the mid-atlantic region who have recognized that stormwater can be transformed into a community resource. Cities recognized by NRDC have also determined that green infrastructure is a more cost effective approach than investing in "gray," or conventional, infrastructure, such as underground storage systems and pipes. At the same time, each dollar of investment in green infrastructure delivers other benefits that conventional infrastructure cannot, including more flood resilience and, where needed, augmented local water supply.

For more information on the NRDC and Rooftops to Rivers II, please visit: http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/rooftopsii/