Green Sponge Will Clean Contaminants Entering NYC Waterway

Matt Sledge profiles the work of a landscape architect who has designed an attractive and innovative system for keeping contaminants out of one of New York's most polluted waterways.

1 minute read

February 10, 2012, 7:00 AM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


In New York, and cities across the country with combined sewage overflow systems, the aftermath of a severe rain event is a toxic sludge of untreated wastewater entering the city's rivers and harbors. As these events become more common and intense, due to global warming, cities are searching for innovative ways to prevent such overflows, without having to construct entirely new systems of stormwater piping.

Currently being implemented along the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, Sponge Park, is the product of landscape architect Susannah Drake and is seen as "part of a larger effort underway in New York to use "green infrastructure" instead of costly pipes and tunnels hidden underground to catch storm runoff. City officials are hopeful they can save some $2.4 billion over 20 years, while also sprucing up the city's open spaces, with the new approach to sewage."

Sledge profiles Drake's innovative design and assesses the potential for New York to replicate the program elsewhere.

"If New York City can mass produce bioswales and other green infrastructure quickly enough, it may be able to save billions on what [New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Carter] Strickland calls 'tanks and tunnels,' which in turn lead to extremely expensive sewage treatment plants."

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 in Huffington Post

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

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today