BLUE BTV is giving residents up to $2,000 for rain gardens, permeable driveways and other fixes to reduce phosphorus flowing into Lake Champlain.

By Max Handelman. for the Community News Service

A local nonprofit is helping Burlington property owners install measures that reduce stormwater runoff — one of the leading pollutants in Lake Champlain.

BLUE BTV, a non-profit organization dedicated to stormwater mitigation, is partnering with the City of Burlington to offer residents up to $2,000 to implement rain gardens, permeable driveways and other projects that absorb stormwater before it reaches Lake Champlain.

The non-profit was founded in 2017 as a partnership between Lake Champlain Sea Grant, the University of Vermont and other organizations with a shared mission to protect the lake from cyanobacteria. Also known as blue-green algae, cyanobacteria releases toxins that are harmful to the lake and people alike. 

“When water doesn’t infiltrate the soil, it can’t filter out pollutants,” said Klara Whalley, a UVM student that works for BLUE. “That’s a big problem for Lake Champlain because it provides drinking water for around 200,000 people and the increased nutrients are going to fuel cyanobacteria blooms.” 

Such blooms are caused by excess phosphorus, and can lead to skin irritation and gastrointestinal issues. Runoff from Burlington and its surrounding suburbs is responsible for 16% of that excess phosphorus, according to Michelle Lockhart, director of BLUE BTV.

Stormwater rinses phosphorus-laden sediment from roof shingles and roads, Lockhart said. Those waterproof surfaces prevent absorption, forcing that water to slick down the street and into the lake.

Additionally, Burlington’s combined sewer system — pipes that carry stormwater and household waste water to a treatment location — can overflow during seasons with more rainfall. That overflow leaves untreated water behind, that can then seep into the lake too.

“We’ve already completed a lot of the low-hanging fruit projects, so the remaining work is more complex,” said Seth Kuchenbaker, Burlington’s stormwater project manager. “We have to keep in mind the costs to properly maintain any new infrastructure we install.”

That’s why BLUE BTV is targeting private home owners to address stormwater issues on a local level.

Residents can ask for an evaluation and BLUE will send an expert to assess their property. After evaluation, BLUE returns a report with what projects they recommend and a list of contractors that residents may use for installation. 

The rebate — which is capped at $2,000 — will cover most of the process, but residents may have to contribute some form of payment, Lockhart said. 

To expand their reach, BLUE collaborates with local businesses, and Whalley’s team posts flyers at Fletcher Library, City Market and the Intervale Center to inform residents about the dangers of stormwater runoff.

Her team is developing a stormwater education toolkit to this end, too. The toolkit is a guide for alternatives to traditional lawns and environmentally conscious options like native planting and erosion control that residents can integrate to combat runoff, Whalley said. 

“Homeowners are coming from different situations in different areas of Burlington, with different economic incentives,” Whalley said. “This is a good way to reach people, educate them on what BLUE does, what stormwater is, and what it means to the community.” 

So far, BLUE has awarded over $39,000 for the installation of 38 projects across 28,514 feet of surface area, according to Whalley. 

Kuchenbecker said that Burlington still faces challenges because the city, “is limited to working only within the public right-of-way.” 

But BLUE’s empowerment of residents is opening up new areas of improvement.

“Residents recognize the importance of protecting Lake Champlain,” Kuchenbecker said. “With continued program development, new infrastructure projects and stormwater-minded requirements for new development, I think we’re moving in the right direction.”

Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont internship