Transcript:

Pittsburgh is one of many cities where raw sewage and stormwater flow through the same pipes.

During heavy storms, this combined sewer system can overflow, discharging dirty wastewater into creeks and rivers.

And the problem is getting worse as the climate warms.

Birdy: “One thing that we’ve seen specifically in Pittsburgh is that we are getting … higher intensity rainfall events than we’ve seen in the past.”

Aaron Birdy is with Upstream Pittsburgh, a nonprofit working to address the issue.

One of their strategies is to help homeowners and communities manage rainwater before it ends up in the sewer system – for example, by installing rain barrels.

Birdy: “You can connect a rain barrel to the downspout at your home that can retain water and … reduce the amount of stormwater that’s leaving your property and getting into the system.”

His group also plants street trees, which can help soak up water before it enters storm drains.

And in one area, they converted two vacant lots into rain gardens with an underground storage tank. The tank holds excess stormwater until the rain is over and the city’s combined sewer system can handle it.

These solutions help reduce local flooding and prevent polluted water from overflowing into the city’s rivers and streams.

Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media