Natural Urban Runoff Treatment

Man-made wetlands are being used to help remove fecal coliform from urban runoff.

1 minute read

December 28, 2000, 11:00 AM PST

By Christian Madera @http://www.twitter.com/cpmadera


"Boomhouwer and his neighbors hope that a new 2-acre water-cleaning wetlands the city is now creating on the east side of Alicia Parkway might provide a solution. Faced with a cleanup order by state water regulators, city officials are putting the finishing touches on the wetlands -- bulrushes, cattails and other aquatic plants -- that will help filter out fecal coliform or turn it into more benign components. When it is completed this week, the natural water-treatment system will work in conjunction with an existing wetlands on the west side of Alicia that in the past year has proven successful in cleaning the water to standards acceptable for swimming, officials said."

Thanks to Christian Peralta

Wednesday, December 27, 2000 in Orange County Register

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Cars on a New York City street

USDOT Revokes Approval for NYC Congestion Pricing

Despite the administration’s stated concern for the “working class,” 85 percent of Manhattan commuters use public transit to enter the city.

February 20, 2025 - StreetsBlog NYC

Tiny home village for unhoused reisdents in Torrance, California.

Tiny House Villages for Addressing Homelessness: An Interview with Yetimoni Kpeebi

One researcher's perspective on the potential of tiny homes and owner-built housing as one tool to fight the housing crisis.

February 20, 2025 - Mark Tirpak

Charred trees on hillside in Altadena, California after Eaton Fire.

Preserving Altadena’s Trees: A Community Effort to Save a Fire-Damaged Landscape

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena Green is working to preserve fire-damaged but recoverable trees, advocating for better assessment processes, educating homeowners, and protecting the community’s urban canopy from unnecessary removal.

March 3 - LAist

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Tent covered with camouflage tarp with American flag on front under freeway overpass in California.

Investigation Reveals Just How Badly California’s Homeless Shelters are Failing

Fraud, violence, death, and chaos follow a billion dollar investment in a temporary solution that is proving ineffective.

March 3 - The Associated Press

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.