Compare + Contrast

Two news stories this week suggest that there might be a better way to handle our infrastructure issues in Seattle. Compare this line from this story.

"High Point's groundbreaking new natural drainage system has been functioning as planned during the rainiest November on record.

"Sidewalks on one side of the streets in the new High Point are porous to allow rainfall to drip through to the ground rather than collect in gutters and storm drains. The streets themselves were built with a slight tilt to direct storm water to curb cuts. The cuts send the water into planted parking strips, which have been excavated 15 feet deep with a drain pipe set at the bottom and refilled with compost.

Growing plants and compost comb out silt and grit in storm water before they reach the manmade retention pond located at Juneau Street and 30th Avenue Southwest. More silt settles in the pond before the rainfall flows on down the hill into Longfellow Creek."

with this headline from the PI: Windstorm dealt KO to wastewater system which includes these charming tidbits . . .

The main treatment plant at West Point in Seattle flooded and was knocked out of service for four hours, forcing the dumping of 59 million gallons of untreated diluted waste into Elliott Bay.

The pumping station near the Fauntleroy ferry landing in West Seattle also flooded and failed, and in the 30 hours it took to fix it an additional 5 million gallons of untreated waste poured into the Sound.