This half million gallon, underground storage tank serves the city a multitude of functions. It directly collects stormwater runoff from 15 acres of street, building and parking lots. It also receives backwash from the water treatment plant, which treats the extracted groundwater that is distributed to all city residents. The solid pollutants in the collected water settle to the bottom of the underground tank. The stormwater is then pumped to the adjacent Central Park ball fields and City Hall Campus and used for irrigation.
This facility was the first of its kind when installed, benefits both of the city’s watersheds, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization and Rice Creek Watershed District, and greatly reduces the draw of potable water for irrigation of the city’s largest park.
The results of this facility are:
- 91% volume reduction during the growing season
- 77.5% phosphorus load reduction from the site
- 4.6 million gallons in potable water/groundwater for irrigation is saved each year
