Articles / April 30, 2025

Water Works: Stormwater Undercurrents: Finding Steadiness in a Time of Turbulence

Managing stormwater has always been about managing change, but recently it seems like changes impacting our industry are accelerating. New pollutants, permits and practices as well as shifting legal, political and climate dynamics all are realities of working in this essential and evolving part of our nation’s water infrastructure.

So, it seems like a good time to ask: What can stormwater professionals count on not changing in the next five to 10 years? What underlying dynamics will stay the same no matter who’s in office or what the next ruling finds?

The following is a look at five core truths about stormwater and water quality that aren’t likely to change and should be front and center as we plan, invest and act:

1. The development and deployment of new pollutants will continue to outpace our ability to measure and manage them.

PFAS chemicals have become the poster child for this reality, but they’re just the latest chapter in a familiar story. As thousands of emerging contaminants—from microplastics and tire-wear particles to pharmaceuticals and new industrial compounds—make their way into runoff and surface waters, analytical detection methods and regulatory frameworks struggle to keep up.

The pace of chemical innovation, particularly in consumer and industrial products, far exceeds our capacity to assess environmental fate, exposure and health risk. This lag between pollution and policy will remain. In response, stormwater managers must stay proactive, building systems that are adaptable, resilient and capable of intercepting a broad spectrum of pollutants—not just the ones currently regulated.

2. We will continue to miss TMDL targets in impaired waters.

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) allocations are an important regulatory tool for achieving water-quality objectives in our receiving waters, but implementation in the real world is messy. With limited enforcement, diffuse responsibilities and persistent funding gaps, many watersheds with TMDL plans will continue to see degraded water quality and missed load reductions. Pragmatic strategies such as prioritization, regional collaboration and performance-based solutions will be more important and feasible than strict compliance. Research that clearly links specific mitigation actions to measurable load reductions also should be prioritized.

3. Stormwater infrastructure will remain deeply underfunded.

The stormwater sector still lacks the dedicated funding streams and political visibility of its drinking water and wastewater cousins. While progress has been made through stormwater utilities and green infrastructure investments, the fundamental reality is that most cities and counties don’t have the capital they need to upgrade aging systems or meet current and future requirements. Inflation, competing priorities and pressure to limit public spending will continue to constrain what’s possible. Smart planning in this context doesn’t mean waiting for a funding windfall. It means focusing on lifecycle cost, designing for maintainability, taking care of existing infrastructure and prioritizing scalable solutions that deliver multiple benefits.

4. Climate change will increase the pressure.

Whether or not the phrase “climate change” appears in permits or political speeches, the impacts are already baked into the stormwater landscape as more intense rainfall, longer droughts, sea-level rise and flashier runoff. Localized flooding, erosion and pollutant loads all are being impacted by climate-driven hydrology. This trend will accelerate. Designing to historic rainfall events or traditional hydrologic models will become increasingly risky, both physically and financially. What won’t change is the need to act locally, even in the face of a global crisis. Climate-resilient stormwater infrastructure—whether gray, green or hybrid—will be a critical tool for community adaptation in the decades ahead.

5. The need for collaboration and integrated thinking will grow.

Stormwater intersects with wastewater, drinking water, transportation, housing, climate resilience and public health. That’s why the “one water” approach, viewing all water as part of a connected system, is gaining traction nationwide.

Most municipalities simply can’t afford to solve their water challenges in silos. Integrated planning offers a way to align stormwater investments with sewer upgrades, flood mitigation, drinking-water protection, and parks and green-space initiatives. When done correctly, these approaches unlock efficiencies in time and money, and open the door to broader funding opportunities. But integration requires collaboration. It takes trusted partnerships across departments, jurisdictions and disciplines. It takes industry partners who understand not just hydraulics and chemistry, but the people, politics and long-term goals that drive decision making. In the years ahead, this need for system-level thinking will only increase. Whether you’re a regulator, utility leader or a technology provider, your ability to work collaboratively will be as important as your technical expertise.

Understanding these unchanging dynamics gives us steady ground to plan from. We may not know the details of the next permit cycle, but we do know the long-term pressures our systems will face. We know that resilience, adaptability and cost effectiveness will remain non-negotiable. And we know that the communities we serve will continue to depend on us even when the spotlight shifts elsewhere. The stormwater industry isn’t just about reacting to regulations; it’s about protecting and restoring our receiving waters for recreation, water supply, habitat and many other beneficial uses. That mission isn’t changing anytime soon.