Solving the Wastewater Problem with Natural Solutions

The EPA estimates the U.S. has $13 billion in wastewater infrastructure. Fast Company explains how innovations in wastewater management using natural processes will change everything.

1 minute read

December 6, 2011, 2:00 PM PST

By Tim Halbur

Christopher Mims writes that new systems that strategically use plants and dirt in addition to concrete will transform wastewater infrastructure "...from passive conduits for water into dynamic systems that store and manage it like the tissues of desert animals."

"Green infrastructure tries to control runoff on-site, rather than sending it below, through the use of "bioretention cells" and rain gardens, which absorb and filter the water into collections of plants and artificial wetlands."

Mims says combining these processes with a smart grid, wastewater can be stored for use and moved around when needed.

FULL STORY: How The "Internet Of Things" Is Turning Cities Into Living Organisms

Tuesday, December 6, 2011 in Fast Company

Infrastructure United States Wastewater

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