Stormwater financing can be complicated.

Luckily, a team from the Great Lakes area has created a collection of animated videos to help explain three market-based financing options. Animations by the team, funded by the Great Lakes Protection Fund, cover community-based public–private partnerships, stormwater credit trading, and environmental impact bonds.

The team works as part of an initiative that seeks to bridge stormwater infrastructure funding gaps by exploring the viability of options that may result in either significant cost savings with innovative delivery options or lead to alternative financing channels.

Through interactions with stakeholders, the team found that even those who are well-informed find these funding concepts complicated. To help, the team created the following videos.

 

Community-based public-private partnerships 101

This option is focused on lower delivery costs and a host of co-benefits. Currently, two such frameworks are being used in the U.S. — one in Prince George’s County, Md., and the other in Chester, Pa.

Environmental impact bonds 101

This option focuses on private financing, pay-for-performance structures, and co-benefits. Current examples include environmental impact bonds issued by DC Water and recent announcements by Atlanta and Baltimore to do the same.

 

Stormwater credit trading 101

This option directly addresses how stormwater management improvements on private parcels can help to optimize project distribution across a watershed as well as generate funds. Again, DC Water provided an example of this funding source through the trading system it implemented in 2013.

The Great Lakes Protection Fund website contains even more information about stormwater funding and financing.