27152467
On a busy morning, women wheeling strollers, a man on a motorized scooter and dozens of other pedestrians traverse the east sidewalk on the 1300 block of South 13th Street that runs parallel to Columbus Square Playground. Since most people don’t stare at the ground when they walk and even fewer bother to glance down, none of the passersby seemed to notice a 30-foot-long-by-7-foot-wide chalk outline with blue squiggly lines inside signifying water drawn on the pavement June 12. But later this summer, when construction of the city’s first sidewalk infiltration planter begins to replace the chalk sketch, everyone will begin to take notice.
The planter was designed by the Philadelphia Water Department to reduce sewer overflows that lead to basement flooding and river and stream overflow. The sidewalk infiltration planters are designed to handle the stormwater runoff on the block they are installed, in this instance, 13th between Reed and Wharton streets.
The sidewalk planter is part of several green infrastructure components around Columbus Square Playground and a second location at Liberty Lands in Northern Liberties.
A proposed rain garden, still very much in the conceptual phase and proposed by the Columbus Square Advisory Committee, will divert stormwater from the storm drain on the corner of 12th and Wharton into the garden. Rain gardens are generally planted in low-lying areas to receive stormwater from downspouts or other runoff sources.
"What we’re talking about today is really good for the future," Columbus Advisory President Susan Patrone said. "Stewardship greening, environmental — those words are the root for the grand umbrella of public health and safety."
The South Philly project was unveiled June 12 at the playground with state Sen. Vince Fumo, who obtained a $300,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for the project. Joining him were Howard Neukrug, Director of the Office of Watersheds of the Philadelphia Water Department, and Joanne Dahme, Watersheds Programs Manager. After the local demonstration, officials headed to the Northern Liberties site for another unveiling.
"I commend the water department," Fumo said at the press conference two weeks ago. "I was very happy to help out with this. I want to thank the neighborhood for its active support. I’m very proud to be a part of this."
South Philly was chosen as the pilot because of the persistent problems many residents have experienced, Neukrug said, adding, "We’ve been focusing a lot in South Philadelphia because it has had some issues with basement flooding." Dahme added, "What has been happening when we have these heavy rainstorms — these very high intense storms with three- to four inches of rain in one hour — the sewers fill to capacity and they cannot relieve themselves the way they are designed to in the river; They are backing up in basements."
The city is exploring ways to remedy the problem, including new larger pipes in the ground, but the projects unveiled last week are trying to stop it before it starts. "We’re looking at large underground infrastructure ways of helping to fix that problem, but what we recognize is there are some things we can do above the ground before the water gets into the sewer," Neukrug said.
The water department is teaming up with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to green the four-foot-deep, 30-foot-long and 7-foot-wide planter. In time, four more like planters will be added to the same block, if all goes well with the first, Dahme said. While the space will be open and depressed about four-inches, the planter will be like a garden and pedestrians should take care in walking by.
"It will have plants and vegetation in it," Fumo said. "So it will take runoff forced to those plants and seep down. That will add to the capacity of the sewers that are already overcrowded and filled up that is causing flooding in basements, which is a big problem in South Philadephia."
With the aesthetics of the garden, the planter’s appeal is twofold. Dahme explained, "We recognize greening opportunities as not just an amenity but a necessity."
Joe Kelly and partner Patrick Ryan from 13th and Wharton attended the press conference because their dwelling is across the street from the planter and they know all too well the effects of flooding. Owners of their building since 1984, the men had one major flood between that time and 2003; however, since ’03, they’ve experienced at least five floods with seven inches or more of water in their basement, Kelly said. Last year, Kelly and Ryan had a back-flow device installed through a water department pilot program to alleviate problems in flood-prone zones. This area has an issue with flooding because streets are "crowned," meaning a higher elevation in the middle to drain streets towards storm drains, Dahme said, adding the planters will be receiving runoff from half the street.
"For the most part, the flooding has abated as a result of the water department’s pilot program to put check valves in certain homes to see if they help with flooding. The water department has a whole host of programs to come to grips with the problems," Kelly said.
The housemates are excited about the form and function of the planter they will be able to see from their dwelling. "Based on my understanding of the plan, it’s one cog in the wheel of a comprehensive plan by the water department to look at each area and help alleviate flooding. They are going to vegetate them, which can make a more beautiful park side and at the same time it can help clean our water and take the pressure off the system. For me, it’s a no-brainer. It’s a win-win," Kelly said.
A handful of cities like Seattle, Boston, D.C. and Portland, Ore., already have sidewalk filtration planters.
Kelly has been to Portland and has seen the system there. "It was nice to have these plots of vegetation along the sidewalk. Soil and vegetation slows down the impact into the sewer system and it’s better able to handle it. Plus you can make your neighborhood more beautiful," he said.
The Philly planter was designed by a team of water department staff with the assistance of a consultant, borrowing heavily from the design already in Portland, Dahme said.
With the Green Streets Demonstration Projects at the end of its conceptual phase, this summer the water department will work further with Columbus Advisory to come up with a final design. Construction will start in late summer with the project complete by late fall, Neukrug said. "For every gallon of water we can keep out of our sewers, that’s one less gallon of water that’s available for pollution and basement flooding and other problems we’ve been experiencing here in South Philadelphia. If we can do that and also plant trees and create amenities and improve sidewalks and infrastructure above ground, then we are doing our business and helping the community and environment."
If the Green Streets Demonstration Projects prove successful, it will be implemented in other parts of the city, including Barry Playground, 18th and Bigler streets, and Herron Playground, Second and Reed streets. Those sites were selected because they are in flood-prone neighborhoods, as well, Dahme said.
"Hopefully, after this technology is put in here and it works, we will see this in more and more places throughout the city," Fumo said.
Contact Staff Writer Lorraine Gennaro at lgennaro@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
