Green Homes

Last year, PWD and Rebuilding Together Philadelphia joined volunteers and neighbors to install rain barrels, rain gardens and downspout planters in Cobbs Creek-area rowhomes. The short film below by GreenTreks tells the story: We can manage stormwater and prevent sewer overflows with rowhome-sized tools and community involvement.

Photo: Randall Robinson

It's been almost a month since we last mentioned PWD's green roof bus shelter at 15th and Market, and now that the novelty has died down, you might be wondering what all the fuss was about. After all, it's only 60 square feet of green roof—how much of a difference can it really make? The bus shelter was meant to demonstrate that it's possible to green even small spaces, and to inspire Philadelphia residents to undertake their own green projects at home.

PWD recently received the photo above from a West Philly homeowner. Her downspout planter not only helps keep our streams and rivers clean by capturing stormwater runoff from her roof, it's also a beautiful addition to her home, planted with daylilies, iris, oat grass, red flame grass and perennial pea.

Visit our Residents page for green project ideas for your home, including how-tos and helpful guides.

PWD's Green City, Clean Waters plan isn't just about the city installing porous paving and constructing stormwater tree trenches—you can get involved with the effort by undertaking projects on your own property. Join us at the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center on Wednesday, July 20 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for a screening of the 30-minute Green City, Clean Waters video and a panel discussion on how you can green your home. Representatives from PWD and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society will be on hand to discuss stormwater management tools for residents and hear your ideas for projects you'd like to see in your community. There will be cocktails, the opportunity to post ideas on a graffiti wall, and an artist station where an artist will materialize your ideas through sketches.

The event is free to attend but please RSVP to delresea.huzzy@phila.gov or 215-685-0723

Can't make the event? Be sure to check out our Residents page for green home project ideas, tips and how-tos.

Photo: Southern Liberties, LLC

The Philadelphia Water Department would never utter an unkind word about traditional rain barrels, but the sleek, ultra-modern version (they call it a "rain column") by local company Shift Space Design is making rain collection a whole lot more attractive. The stainless steel, 58-gallon tank isn't cheap (one online retailer has it listed at $1,800), but it sure is nice to look at. It even has its own name: Fitzwater. More detailed photos and specs here. (There's also a 12-gallon version named Wallace.) For the rest of us, a blue or green plastic barrel may just have to do.

The rain column pictured above (in the backyard of Montrose Green, a Philadelphia rowhome/eco-design utopia) is actually part of a collection system; the column on the left is connected to trickle rods that water the planter below.

Read more about rain barrels and check out our Rain Barrel Map to see where Philadelphians are collecting runoff and keeping our streams and rivers clean.