Integrating Valuation Methods to Recognize Green Infrastructure's Multiple Benefits

Reducing the negative impacts of storm water is gaining priority in United States communities’ efforts to develop more sustainably and to comply with Clean Water Act requirements. Nationwide, communities may need to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in coming decades to meet clean water goals, assuming expansion and repair of conventional infrastructure (US EPA 2002). These projections include $54.8 billion for combined sewer overflow (CSO) control, and another nine billion dollars for storm water management programs (US EPA 2008a). The Clean Water Act’s regulatory requirements, along with perennial budget struggles facing many municipalities, are driving cities and utilities to identify and choose the most cost-effective approaches to storm water management.