Green City Clean Waters

*Or very low cost. But you clicked, right? Green City, Clean Waters, Philly’s 25-year plan for protecting its watersheds, uses green infrastructure for stormwater management. The project, recognized by the EPA for setting the standard for a national model for green infrastructure, catapulted Philly to the forefront for stormwater management. Why is stormwater a concern?

The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) established its Green Cities, Clean Waters Plan as an innovative, greener approach to stormwater management. Rather than tear apart and rebuild old sewage drains, the Green Cities, Clean Waters plan encourages innovative, sustainable solutions like porous pavements, creative foliage layouts and street bump-outs. The 25-year plan has just begun. The PWD recently released the City of Philadelphia's Green Streets Design Manual, to move forward with the process.

This guest post comes from Jesce Walz, a Living Building Challenge Ambassador. With Greenbuild in Philadelphia this week, the Living Building Challenge and Net Zero Water Forum discuss stormwater management in our buildings. The Living Building Challenge is “the most most rigorous design and construction standard in the world today. It is also a philosophy, advocacy platform and certification tool.” Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 19th is a Net Zero Water Forum. The Net Zero Water Forum is a 4-hour in-depth review of the Living Building Challenge’s “Water Petal,” which is intended to redefine our relationship to water and 'waste' in the built environment. What does this have to do with Philly?

Consider getting a rain barrel? Not sure of the benefits or how to use it? Rain barrels save water, help storm water run-off and make watering your plants SO much easier. And with the daily monsoons we've been experiencing, there's lots of FREE water falling from the sky to use. But there's more to it, and there's an exhibit where you can find out more right in Philly.

Greenworks Philadelphia 2013 progress report, which marks our progress against the ambitious Greenworks plan, has been officially released to the public. The 4th annual Greenworks progress report boasts that work on 95% of the original 166 initiatives is underway or complete. Greenwork's goal is to complete the initiatives by 2015, in order to infamously become America's Greenest City. 43 initiatives were completed as of 2013. Find out more about the Greenworks 2013 progress report, after the jump:

This past Tuesday, April 10th, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Mayor Michael Nutter & city officials signed an official agreement at the Fairmount Water Works that recognized Philadelphia's Green City Clean Waters Plan as an innovative approach to storm water management.  This is huge - basically, Philly's setting the standard as a national model for green infrastructure. Sooo what does this mean to me? Does it sound like spanish to you? It means this: Philly's #1 again! I'm quite excited to share

I must admit, I do love the lilac rain boots I purchased while sick of wet jeans and shoes being drenched in the rain. However, what if a street soaked up water like a sponge instead? The 800 block of Percy St between Catherine & Christian became Philadelphia’s first porous Street to do just that! Made of permeable materials including porous asphalt and a layer of stones underneath, the street allows water to soak through the surface and eliminates storm-water runoff. This wasn’t just constructed to decrease rain boot sales - Philadelphia has a combined sewer system that includes