Philadelphia Dreaming

Heavy storms ahead

As of October, local rain totals are already well above the city’s annual average of 42 inches, making heavy storms a frequent experience for Philadelphians in 2018. Many climate change models show a wetter future for our region, giving the implementation of innovative solutions added urgency.

For those unfamiliar with green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) as a tool for stormwater management, Green City, Clean Waters is very much what it sounds like: a greener city means cleaner waterways. By incorporating more green spaces into urban landscapes that would otherwise prevent rainwater from soaking into the ground, Philadelphia is achieving major reductions in the two largest sources of pollution hampering local water quality—excess stormwater runoff carrying urban contaminants, and sewer overflows caused by an overwhelmed system.

These landscaped green systems, such as rain gardens and planted curb extensions that enhance pedestrian safety, are managing tens of millions of gallons of stormwater every time the city gets heavy rain, and the program is surpassing benchmarks established by state and federal regulators.