WAUWATOSA — Changing the longtime engineering mind-set of deliberately channeling rainwater off of property in the Milwaukee area could save tens of thousands of dollars, attendees of a clean water conference were told Wednesday in Wauwatosa.

Milwaukee landscaping contractor Bryan Simon was pelted with questions as he showed slides of his own small-business property, which has been transformed into a prototype of storm water conservation disguised as attractive brick, cobblestones and flowers, at the Clean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference sponsored by the Southeastern Wisconsin Watersheds Trust Inc., or Sweet Water.