Kacvinsky Speaks to Michigan Radio about Stormwater Infrastructure Funding
Greg Kacvinsky, PE, stormwater practice leader at community advancement firm OHM Advisors and current president of the Michigan Water Environment Association (MWEA) board of directors, shares his deep technical knowledge with Michigan Radio’s Stateside program. He sat down with program host Lester Graham in a recent interview to discuss Michigan’s struggles to fund stormwater infrastructure.
Kacvinsky says during the discussion that Michigan is facing two major issues:
1) The stormwater infrastructure is aging, and there are fewer funds available to repair or replace it; and
2) These problems are exacerbated by heavier rainfalls that cause more frequent flooding and overflows of untreated sewage and stormwater into rivers and lakes.
“The pipes that we put in the ground 50 years ago were designed under a different set of criteria,” Kacvinsky comments. “When rainfall changes, and when climate changes, the system doesn’t provide the same level of service that it used to.”
Kacvinsky is hopeful that the state will soon pass legislation offering a roadmap for communities to set up separate stormwater utilities that would fund infrastructure upgrades.
An engineer and stormwater management practice leader for OHM Advisors, Kacvinsky has extensive experience in water resources engineering focused on sewer system design, combined sewer system analysis, capital improvement program development and regulatory assistance. He was named 2018 MWEA Watershed Management Professional of the Year, recognized for his exemplary efforts in promoting watershed management and protection activities.