The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) and the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) are pleased to announce that just under $5 million has been award in grants to promote stormwater management projects. The Stormwater Management Incentives Program (SMIP) was created by The City of Philadelphia, through PWD and PIDC, to help reduce the volume of stormwater runoff entering the City's sewer system and to simultaneously help beautify communities. The grant helps businesses and nonprofits green large, impervious properties and unburden the city’s sewer system from high volumes of stormwater runoff. Stormwater management tools, such as green roofs, porous paving, rain gardens, stormwater tree trenches,  detention and retention basins reduce a property’s impervious surface, also resulting in lower monthly stormwater charges. Read about all of this year’s recipients and their projects here.

The SMIP grant is an important part of the Green City, Clean Waters plan, which includes an ambitious goal to convert 9,500 impervious acres to “green acres” that capture and manage the first inch of stormwater runoff to achieve beautiful, fishable, clean and healthy rivers and streams. The grant will also allow businesses, non-profit organizations and other non-residential customers to reduce their stormwater rates by providing funding for the design and implementation of these green infrastructure projects.
 
If you are interested in applying for the SMIP grant, please visit the webpage for more information.