CityStories / City Profiles / Small Cities / Norwalk, Connecticut

In 2007, Norwalk enacted a stormwater management program to protect the Sound, and installed 45 EnviroSafe modular catch basin filtration systems throughout the city to manage removal of debris, hydrocarbons and bacteria from stormwater runoff in city streets. The filters came thanks to a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to protect the area's water integrity, and they remove from runoff all heavy metals and most bacteria and grease.

In addition to 13 square miles of water surface, one-tenth of the city—or 1,400 acres—is green space and parkland. The urban waterfront park, Norwalk State Heritage Park, on the estuary of the Norwalk River, is a unique ecosystem that connects points of interest like the historic district, the Maritime Aquarium and the marina district.

Norwalk has a highly utilized local bus system called Wheels, as well as a number of rail lines—including the New York metro rail and Metro-North Railroad—that allow train commutes for those who work in New York. However, Norwalk has many jobs located within the city, making it more than a bedroom community; it hosts a large presence of number of major companies, including Virgin Atlantic Airways, Pepperidge Farm and Priceline.com.