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Sustainability Strategic Plan for the City of University City, Missouri <br />September 12, 2011/ REVISED JANUARY 8, 2012 <br />Page 12 <br /> <br />One of the most important environmental issues facing University City is its handling of water and storm water. Potable and <br />storm water runoff from impervious surfaces can cause sewer backups into homes and businesses and even, in storm events, <br />cause flooding along the River Des Peres. Actions and inactions by citizens of our upstream communities and by residents <br />and businesses of University City have tremendous impact not only by increasing runoff but on water quality and energy use <br />as well. This section of the Sustainability Plan will outline why this environmental issue is so important to our community and <br />how the City and the Community can reduce both water usage and storm water runoff in the future to prevent sewer <br />backups and flooding, and to replenish the groundwater system that is vital to the health of the city, the region and the <br />earth. <br />The River des Peres Watershed was once forested; rainwater was absorbed into the ground, but today about 35% of the <br />area is impermeable surfaces (roofs, driveways, etc.) and rain runs VERY quickly downhill into storm water drains, and thus <br />into the River des Peres. This storm water is highly polluted from fertilizer, pesticide, feces from dogs and other animals, etc. <br />And, because University City has a very old “combined sewer system” which directs both sewage and storm water to the <br />sewage treatment plant, when there is a rain so heavy the system cannot handle the volume, the excess water, plus effluent <br />from the sewer system, overflows directly into the River des Peres. (see figure below) <br /> <br />The Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) plans to solve this problem with huge underground storage chambers, which will be <br />very expensive, increasing sewer rates up to 10 times the current rates, or more. An alternative solution: remove all houses <br />from the flood plain, convert the land to a beautiful eco-urban park, and convince all in U City (employees, residents and <br />businesses) to decrease the amount of water going “down the drain” as well as into the storm sewers, so the River des Peres