Evaluation of a macro-scale approach to stormwater management

The Town of Newmarket, like all Canadian municipalities need cost-effective solutions to the serious and growing problem of flooding and contamination of fresh ground and surface waters and sources of drinking water from runoff. Many municipalities in Canada lack the financial and human resources to tackle the problem. The operational study will explore the potential of employing an “equitable responsibility” model – a process to work co-operatively and share costs – to meet water quality and quantity objectives with greater efficiency.The macro-scale Stormwater Management (SWM) study will enable Newmarket and other Canadian municipalities facing stormwater challenges to determine the potential value, in terms of optimizing stormwater infrastructure at the lowest cost, of a scalable approach to stormwater planning, design, construction and operation. The project will assess the municipal policy, programming and financial implications of employing a drainage basin approach to stormwater infrastructure optimization utilizing a municipal cost-sharing model. Applying scale distribution and aggregation of stormwater infrastructure – including Low Impact Development (LID) and Green Infrastructure (GI), integrated grey-green infrastructure and Environmental Performance Units (EPUs) – the study will determine the potential municipal policy and operational changes necessary to optimize the Stormwater Management (SWM) system, improve adaptive capacity of SWM infrastructure and increase resilience to the impacts of climate change (i.e., more extreme and frequent precipitation events, rapid snow melt and protracted drought).The specific deliverables for the study are as follows:• An evaluation of the financial, planning, programming, policy and divisional/operational implications of a scalable approach to stormwater management presented in a study findings report.• A methodology and process for undertaking scalable stormwater management.• A project report including a cost-benefit analysis and recommendations. An interdisciplinary project management team will be responsible for the execution of the project. Town of Newmarket will serve as the Municipal Project Lead ensuring the municipal stormwater policy, management and financing objectives of the macro-scale SWM study are met. The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) will be providing day-to-day management of the project for the Town of Newmarket. The LSRCA has the capacity to evaluate stormwater management issues and options on a sub-watershed scale and with consideration to the unique regulatory requirements of the Province of Ontario’s Lake Simcoe Protection Act.