Cities across the country are investing in their stormwater infrastructure with hopes of achieving triple bottom line benefits – for people, the environment, and economic return. In the face of a changing climate that brings more extreme wet weather, a combination of gray infrastructure (pipes and tunnels) and green stormwater infrastructure (plants and soil) is a recipe for resilience that many cities are trying to perfect.
But responsibility for green stormwater infrastructure is rarely the primary mandate of any one department or agency. Instead, multiple agencies manage green infrastructure – from transportation to parks, stormwater to planning. And when agencies don’t collaborate, inefficiencies, inequities, and working at cross purposes often result.
Shared service arrangements can help. These legal agreements help agencies save money, pool resources, and collaborate to solve systemic water problems while still achieving their individual mandates.
Models of Shared Service Arrangements in Stormwater Governance takes a high-level look at 7 types of agreements, from simple informal agreements to Joint Benefits Authority. Each type of agreement is described with an easy-to-read overview of how it operates, when it’s suitable, advantages & disadvantages, and an example.
Read more to learn what type of agreement could be the best fit for your agency and its partners.