Site Plan

As a first phase of the Philadelphia Water Department’s Green City, Clean Waters program, PWD is piloting several green street stormwater management practices around PWD facilities. Streets and sidewalks comprise about 40% of impervious surfaces within Philadelphia. Managing stormwater runoff from these areas is critical to meeting the Philadelphia Water Department’s water quality goals. PWD has developed a variety of green street tools that utilize a combination of vegetated and engineered strategies to manage runoff at its source.

The project in construction at PWD’s Bureau of Laboratory Services (BLS) showcases stormwater planters and stormwater tree trenches on the streets surrounding BLS. Seven stormwater planters planted with native species are being constructed on the southern side of Hunting Park Avenue. A stormwater tree trench planted with six trees is being constructed on the east side of Castor Avenue and a stormwater planter with seven trees is being constructed on the north side of Lycoming Street.

Watershed Benefits

The stormwater tree trenches and planters capture the first inch of runoff from a drainage area of 40,000 square feet, made up of the adjacent streets and sidewalks. The stormwater runoff managed by the green street stormwater systems at BLS equals a volume of 24,935 gallons. The runoff is used by the plants and allowed to infiltrate into the soil, recharging ground water and thereby reducing the amount of stormwater that would otherwise make its way into Philadelphia’s combined sewer system. Additionally, the landscaping and tree canopy cover provide visual interest, aesthetic appeal, and mitigate the urban heat island effect.