NYC proposes rainwater-storing rooftops

A plan was unveiled in New York City recently to implement roof systems that could store rainwater and eventually help solve the city’s problem of sewage overflow during heavy storms, according to media reports.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proposing the use of “blue” rooftops that have a series of drainage pools and “green” rooftops that are covered in grass or ivy (like the one pictured). The sustainable rooftops would help alleviate sewage overflow that accumulates in large bodies of water during major rains and pollutes the city’s waterways.

The proposed rooftops are a step toward achieving the city’s “PlaNYC” goal of making 90 percent of its waterways suitable and safe for recreational use.