A Green City, Clean Waters rain garden along Stenton Avenue. Credit: Philadelphia Water
It’d be a stretch to call Christopher Crockett the grandfather of source water protection in Philadelphia (that title goes to whoever had the bright idea to create Fairmount Park). However, he is the founder of Philadelphia Water’s Source Water Protection Program, a fact that makes him an especially interesting guest speaker for tonight’s Tapping Our Watershed event at National Mechanics in Old City.
Crockett, Philadelphia Water’s deputy commissioner of planning and environmental services, will present “Green Cities, Clean Waters: What’s Been Achieved and What’s to Come in the Future.” It’s a great chance for those interested in our 25-year plan to make our rivers and streams healthy through green infrastructure to take stock of what we’ve accomplished as we approach the program’s fifth anniversary in 2016.
Hosted by the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Tapping our Watershed is “a monthly science café in Philadelphia that brings lovers of water science together for conversations with top experts in the field,” according the ANS website.
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Formerly known as the Delaware River Watershed Initiative Seminar Series, these talks are sophisticated enough for the experienced scientist but formatted for the casual guest who is interested in tapping into watershed issues on a deeper level. You can expect to hear engaging talks ranging from water policy and management to indicator species and pollutants, with a stimulating Q&A to follow each presentation.
We’ll look at the Green Stormwater Infrastructure that can be found in our streets, schools, recreation centers, parks, public spaces, and at private establishments thanks to Green City, Clean Waters. The presentation will also consider the social, environmental, and financial impacts of the plan and how it relates to things like property value, crime, physical and mental health, and the heat island effect we all dread come August.
Tapping our Watershed takes place every third Monday at National Mechanics, 22 South 3rd Street, at 6 p.m. Because the event is held at a place that serves alcohol, the talks are intended for individuals 21 or older, but those under 21 can come with a chaperone who is at least 25. Tapping our Watershed is sponsored by the William Penn Foundation.
Please join us and learn more about Green City, Clean Waters!