The stormwater planters at Columbus Square are the first of their kind to be installed by the Philadelphia Water Department, converting a portion of Reed Street into a Green Street. The Office of Watersheds worked with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation and many community partners to design a series of streetside stormwater planters that capture runoff from the contributing street and sidewalk areas.

A stormwater planter manages runoff through infiltration and evapotranspiration (or detention and slow-release when underlying soils do not allow for infiltration). The stormwater planters benefit our streams and rivers by reducing stormwater flows into the overburdened combined sewer system, while benefiting the community through greening a significant sidewalk area and enhancing neighborhood aesthetics.