Stormwater Abatement Project
Beginning August 5, 2019, Overbrook Presbyterian Church has begun construction on a stormwater abatement project, funded by the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD). This is part of a city-wide effort to keep rainwater out of the sewers. Serious environmental problems occur with the "combined" sewer system we have here in the older parts of the city. When there is more than a little rain, the sewers, which contain bathroom waste and all other waste water, overflow into the creeks and streams and pollute the local waterways and ultimately the larger rivers and ocean.
All of us pay PWD a fee for the calculated amount of stormwater our property emits. The more paving and roof area, the more you pay. A small row house may not pay much, but a big building like the church with its big parking lot, pays a lot more! We are doing the right thing for the environment, but also helping the church save money.
Over the next few weeks, you will see a lot of digging in our parking lot; trucks coming and going; a brief incursion into Lancaster Avenue to hook up pipes to the main sewer lines in the street. There will also be trenches dug around the church to route downspouts to the retention basin in the parking lot. In addition, there will be a new rain garden on the City Avenue side of the building to take water from that side.
Eventually, everything will be paved again, with the retention basin under the parking lot and out of sight. If you have any questions about this project, please contact Rachel Carnahan.
What This Means for You
You are urged to carpool with others from your neighborhood--see the sign up board in the Wistar Morris room--or park at the Overbrook train station and ride shuttle cars to the church, or just walk across the bridge. You can also park on nearby streets. You must leave extra time for parking: don't forget to leave home earlier than usual!
If you are able to drive one of the shuttle cars either before or after church, please sign up here or let Rachel Carnahan know.
The Farmers Market will also be running as normal from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Saturday mornings, so be sure to stop by for farm-fresh produce.
