Perth Amboy has over 50 percent impervious cover and faces issues with flooding and combined sewer overflows (CSOs). In 2015, the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program (RCE) and the City of Perth Amboy formed Perth Amboy SWIM (“StormWater Infrastructure Management”) to address these problems through the development of green infrastructure projects across the City. Perth Amboy SWIM is a collaborative effort that aims to address CSOs, flooding, and stormwater pollution through implementation of green infrastructure, outreach efforts and educational programming. A municipal action team, SWIM consists of residents, utility authorities, local community organizations, and government representatives who advocate for green infrastructure and promote local collaboration.
With RCE’s assistance, Perth Amboy SWIM identified over 30 prioritized sites for infrastructure projects. Recent projects include a cistern project at Brighton Avenue Community Center and a rain garden at the AristaCare at Alameda Center (pictured), both of which were completed in 2016. Sites are prioritized according to cost effectiveness, site visibility, potential partnerships, and the overall viability of the project.
For more information about SWIM, view the Perth Amboy SWIM presentation or contact Michelle Hartmann, Program Associate with RCE Water Resources Program, at mlhart@envsci.rutgers.edu. For other green infrastructure resiliency projects identified for the Raritan River basin, also see RCE Water Resource Program webpage on “Keep the Rain from the Drain”.