The colored interlocking bricks, called pavers, on Thule and Payne streets are pretty and they serve a purpose: handling storm water runoff.
Dealing with storm water runoff is important because of Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Defense mandates. Engineers are charged with developing ways to reduce storm water runoff, which would otherwise flow into streams, rivers, or lakes carrying possible contaminants and erode stream beds.
In 2009, the Energy Independence and Security Act established into law new storm water design requirements for federal development and redevelopment projects. The new requirement is to reduce storm water runoff associated with new construction.
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