What we’re celebrating: After five years of Green City, Clean Waters, Philadelphia has enough green infrastructure/improved stormwater management to reduce pollution by over 600 million gallons in 2016.

Philadelphia Water will be celebrating a major Green City, Clean Waters achievement—meeting the program’s five-year pollution-reduction targets—at Fishtown’s Lutheran Settlement House (LSH) during the neighborhood’s Sustainability First Friday gathering on June 3 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Members of our Public Engagement team will be at the site’s community garden/farm with a cool model that shows how green stormwater infrastructure works, and students from the after school program will be learning all about water systems and sustainability. First Friday-goers are invited to join in, and we’ll have special Green City, Clean Waters cards that let you show your support for protecting our rivers with green investments in a fun way.

 How Do You Play a Part in the Green City, Clean Waters Plan for the Future? Find Out at Science Fest!

Students filled out cards that let them tell their Green City, Clean Waters story on Earth Day. You can take part and tell your story at Science Fest! Credit: Philadelphia Water

This Saturday, Philadelphia Water will be celebrating the fifth year of Philly’s revolutionary 25-year Green City, Clean Waters program at the Franklin Institute Science Carnival, part of this year’s Philadelphia Science Festival.

As it happens, the event will be at Penn’s Landing along the banks of the Delaware River, one of the waterways that will benefit the most as Green City, Clean Waters continues to grow over the next 20 years.

A map showing improvements to be presented at the April 28 Lawncrest meeting. Credit: Philadelphia Water

Residents are invited to join Philadelphia Water representatives on Thursday, April 28 at the Philadelphia Protestant Home Social Hall, 6401 Martins Mill Rd. to learn more about important stormwater improvements proposed for streets near the Har Nebo Cemetery and the Philadelphia Protestant Home. The meeting and presentation will start at 6:30 p.m.

These projects are part of Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters program. Read our earlier blog about all of the green stormwater improvements planned for the Lawncrest area here: Lawncrest Residents Get Update on One of Philly’s Biggest Green Projects Yet

The April 28 meeting will focus on green infrastructure investments planned for the following streets:

• Martins Mill Rd. between Hellerman Street and Tabor Ave.

• Martins Mill Rd. between Tabor Ave. and Levick Street

• Levick Street between Martins Mill Rd. and Montour Street

• Devereaux Ave. between Trotter Street and Summerdale Ave.

• Devereaux Ave. between Algon Ave. and Langdon Street

• Devereaux Ave. between Algon Ave and Langdon Ave.

• Algon Ave from Deveraeux Ave. to Oxford Ave.

• Oxford Ave. from Devereaux Ave to Benner St.

The purposed of the meeting is to provide a summary of improvements planned for these streets, and residents are invited to provide feedback on proposed designs. Representatives of the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Creek Watershed Partnership will also be present to discuss the importance of protecting local waterways from stormwater pollution.

For more information about these Green City, Clean Waters improvements, contact Philadelphia Water Outreach Specialist Hailey Stern at Hailey Stern@phila.gov. Click here to see a meeting flyer that you can share with neighbors.

East Poplar Green Infrastructure Meeting

Philadelphia Water representatives will also be hosting a meeting about Green City, Clean Waters investments in the East Poplar neighborhood on April 28. (You can read about the proposed work here.)

Meeting details:

Date: Thursday, April 28, 2016

Time: 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Meeting

Location: East Poplar Recreation Center, 820 N. 8th Street

Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting to learn more about the projects and provide feedback on proposed designs. For more information, contact Maggie Dunn at maggie.dunn@phila.gov or call 215-971-6151. Click here to see a meeting flyer that you can share with neighbors.

We look forward to seeing you!

Erika Shrayer of Baldi Middle School won 1st place for the 6th Grade age group last year. Credit: PWD/PDE

When Philly kids understand what it takes to be a good watershed steward from an early age, it can lead to lifelong habits that help to keep trash and other pollution out of our stormwater system and waterways.

That’s one reason we hold our annual Green City, Clean Waters student art contest with Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.

Another reason? Our local schools happen to be packed with creative minds, and these kids seem to be especially good at communicating the basics of good watershed stewardship with art that’s both direct and fun.

Year after year, we’re pleasantly surprised at the quality of the art that comes in, and last year we had over 1,300 submissions. The deadline for 2016 is Friday, February 26.