Elgin was notified Thursday that it was selected to receive $634,000 through the Illinois Green Infrastructure Grant (IGIG) program. This new grant program is designed to reduce the amount of pollution running into Illinois waterways from stormwater sources through the installation of green infrastructure.
The IL EPA received over 150 applications totaling $50 million in funding requests. Of the fourteen projects selected, Elgin’s was the second largest. Elgin’s funded project is for a series of stormwater best management practices in the Southwest Area Neighborhood (SWAN). This area of Elgin has experienced firsthand the problems associated with excessive stormwater runoff and combined sewers. This project is designed to help alleviate those issues and provide water quality benefits. Measures include bio-retention swales, permeable paver alleyways and modular bio-retention basins.
The city is working to develop a timeline for this project.
Green infrastructure is a type of stormwater management that seeks to capture and infiltrate rainwater where it falls, reducing stormwater runoff and improving water quality.
This would not be the city’s first green infrastructure project. Elgin has retrofitted its detention basin at the corner of McLean Blvd. and Holmes Road, greatly improving its ability to infiltrate and treat stormwater. Residents are encouraged to visit the site where informational signage will soon be installed.
For more information on Elgin’s existing stormwater management efforts please visit the city’s stormwater management webpage.
For any questions, please contact Aaron Cosentino, Management Analyst at 847 214 5861.