Lost in Red Tape: How STEPP Could Fix America’s Stormwater Rules

Across the U.S., stormwater regulations form a confusing patchwork that slows innovation and complicates compliance for communities and companies alike.

In this episode from WEFTEC, Jay Holtz of Oldcastle Infrastructure explains how this fragmented system has evolved — and why it’s time for change. He outlines the challenges posed by thousands of differing local approvals that make it costly and inefficient for solution providers to bring technologies to market.

Holtz describes how the emerging STEPP Program — Stormwater Testing and Evaluation for Products and Practices — aims to establish a consistent national framework for verifying performance data and standardizing testing.

The initiative, led by the National Municipal Stormwater Alliance, would simplify local approvals, cut costs, and accelerate deployment of proven systems. By centralizing data and ensuring testing integrity, STEPP could spur innovation, expand stormwater solutions nationwide, and ultimately lead to cleaner water in communities across America.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for water sustainability.