MINNEAPOLIS -- Storm water runoff is a problem for city infrastructures and the environment and because of that cities have been forced to issue storm water fees.
"About three years ago we woke up with a $58,000 bill, and we thought this is interesting will it ever go away?," said Richard Murphy, Jr, CEO & President of Murphy's in Minneapolis.
The financial solution was also a very green solution.
"We took this site which is an old industrial site, 95% impervious because of the asphalt and flat roofs. All the storm water basically used to run off of here." said Murphy, Jr.
"We now capture over 95% of it in a series of retention basins and bio-retention basins, and rain gardens and prairies as part of the solution and we no longer pay a storm water fee." said Murphy, Jr.
All that, by basically restoring pieces of natural prairie habitat.
"If we can reduce the volume coming off large property owners, in a business-like way, we can get the green benefits to pay for itself. It doesn't happen over night but it will be there. When we look at the prairie alone... over two facilities, 14 years, we've saved $925,000." said Murphy, Jr.
So how does prairie work to absorb so much water better than grass?
"If it were all grass right here it would be 3" deep in a profile for grass. A typical prairie plant from 3 feet to 15 feet.The roots of a prairie plant become fibrous and are so deep that they open the soil up and when the rain falls it allows it to go further in the soil." said Murphy, Jr.
It's also cheaper to maintain.
"It's 7.3 times more expensive to maintain cut grass versus prairie and you don't get the environmental benefit. And they do look pretty." said Murphy, Jr.
(Copyright 2011 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)