Stormwater Grants give non-residential properties the opportunity to keep pollution out of our local waterways and reduce combined sewer overflows (CSO) by building green stormwater infrastructure (GSI)<\/a>. In addition to beautifying sites and surrounding communities, these retrofits will also significantly reduce property-owners’ water bills.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are pleased to announce 9 new Stormwater Grant awardees for 2025–2026,\u201d says Beth Anne Lutes, Manager of PWD\u2019s Stormwater Billing and Incentives.<\/cite> \u201cThese projects continue to provide multi-faceted benefits to both PWD and property owners city-wide, including stormwater management, community and property beautification, and savings on water bills.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Over the last 15 years, PWD’s Stormwater Incentives<\/a> have played a central role in helping the department reach and exceed its goals for reducing CSOs. In total, the Stormwater Grants Program<\/a> has provided $205.8 million<\/strong> in funding for the construction of 231 green stormwater projects<\/strong>, resulting in over 1,198 Greened Acres<\/strong>*. These projects, which include the Stormwater Grants Program, make up around 30% of total Greened Acres created under Green City, Clean Waters<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n *Each Greened Acre manages nearly 30,000 gallons of stormwater runoff during a one-inch rainstorm – about a SEPTA bus-sized load of polluted water!<\/em><\/p>\n Over the years, places of worship have played a significant role in the Stormwater Grant Program. This year, 4 churches were selected to receive funding:<\/p>\n St. Peter\u2019s is noted for its high level of engagement. Established in 1977, St. Peter\u2019s Syriac Orthodox Cathedral<\/a> is a growing congregation of over 500 members located in the Bustleton neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia. The cathedral features a variety of worship groups, including a Sunday School, Youth League, Men\u2019s Prayer Fellowship, and Women\u2019s League.<\/p>\n A rain garden at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Mt. Airy, another example of GSI at work at a place of worship.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n From the beginning, the cathedral has been a close collaborator. This partnership included inviting contractors Brandywine Stormwater and Green Stormwater Solutions to a Mass and providing them with an opportunity to engage with parishioners in a detailed Q&A session.<\/p>\n The $594,407 grant will fund the construction of a 1.11-acre underground basin with vegetated pre-treatment that will capture and filter stormwater runoff from the cathedral\u2019s parking lot and roof. The project is designed to handle around 33,300 gallons of stormwater per 1-inch storm and will save the church an estimated 55% on its water bill.<\/p>\n \u201cSt. Peter’s Syriac Orthodox Cathedral is deeply grateful to the Philadelphia Water Department and our project partners for awarding us this grant and making this project possible,\u201d says Abey K. Abraham of St. Peter\u2019s<\/cite>. \u201cAs a non-profit Church with limited financial resources, projects of this scale would be difficult to undertake without the support of programs like this. This grant allows us to invest in improvements that will benefit both our congregation and the surrounding community for many years to come.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n St. Peter’s hopes that the project will also serve as a \u201cliving classroom\u201d to demonstrate sustainable practices, educate on environmental justice and sustainability, and inspire community members and other institutions towards similar efforts.<\/p>\n Projects at the other three churches will include additional subsurface basins, as well as new depaving, permeable pavers, and a rain garden. Altogether, projects at the four sites will result in a total of 8.69 Greened Acres, capable of handling approximately 260,700 gallons of stormwater per 1-inch storm.<\/p>\n A rain garden at Bethesda Presbyterian Church, a previous Stormwater Grant awardee.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n PWD has a long history of supporting our city\u2019s students, including collaborating with the Fairmount Water Works<\/a> to develop the Understanding the Urban Watershed<\/em><\/a> Curriculum and awarding Stormwater Grants to over 50 schools. The department continued to fulfill this critical role during the 2026 fiscal year with a $1.04 million Stormwater Grant award to Richard Allen Prep.<\/p>\n Richard Allen Preparatory Charter School (RAPCS)<\/a> is a grade 5 though 8 school located in the Kingsessing neighborhood of Southwest Philadelphia. Established in 2001 in response to the area\u2019s need for quality alternative education, RAPCS seeks to \u201ccreate a safe and healthy learning environment for middle school youth to develop into responsible participants in their education and our diverse society.\u201d<\/p>\n Beginning at a temporary site on 54th Street, the growth of the school\u2019s student body led to the decision to acquire and renovate the former Angelica Laundry Plant at 2601 S. 58th Street, where the school operates today.<\/p>\n The project was developed by Greenprint Partners in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, with additional funding from the William Penn Foundation. RAPCS has worked closely with Greenprint throughout this process. The collaboration included establishing a Stakeholder Advisory Group, hosting on-site walks, and involving students in the design and construction process. In addition to helping to manage stormwater runoff, the project also aims to address issues of environmental injustice by promoting students\u2019 well-being and increasing their access to natural surroundings.<\/p>\n \u201cAn unofficial goal of our school is to make every place and every person better, in a transformative way,\u201d says Dr. Lawrence Jones, RAPCS CEO and Founding Team Member<\/cite>. \u201cThe Philadelphia Water Department Stormwater Grant allows us to do both in an incredibly meaningful way: by transforming our landscape, we are helping to improve the environment, to improve the aesthetics of our school and community, and to provide for additional learning spaces and opportunities for our students. We are thrilled to be a recipient of this grant and cannot wait to see the transformational effect it has on our community and our students.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The 2.15-acre project will consist of large depaved areas, a green roof, and a rain garden. These retrofits will help to capture stormwater and reduce runoff to the combined sewer on 57th Street. Trees and vegetation will also provide needed shade and green space for students to gather. The project will handle approximately 64,500 gallons of stormwater per 1-inch storm, saving the school about 42% on its water bill.<\/p>\n A rain garden and permeable paving at the Marian Anderson School, developed and installed with a previous Stormwater Grant.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The Union League Golf Club at Torresdale<\/a> will be the site of this year\u2019s largest project at 22.92 acres. The Union League was founded in 1862 as a patriotic club to support the Union during the Civil War. To this day, its headquarters is located in downtown Philadelphia, at the corner of Broad and Sansom Streets. The Torresdale club, an 18-hole course located off Grant Avenue in the Far Northeast, is one of three clubs operated by the League in Philadelphia and surrounding areas.<\/p>\n Working with the surrounding community and the firms LandConcepts Group and Cerulean, the Union League will use its $860,699 grant to build a stormwater wet pond. This unique project, located in an area of the city served by the separate storm and sewer system (known as MS4), will help to reduce flooding in the Byberry Creek Watershed.<\/p>\n The pond will feature a sediment forebay to filter out pollutants and deep-rooted vegetation around the perimeter to increase the area\u2019s biodiversity. The project will manage 68 acres of runoff with the capacity to handle approximately 687,600 gallons of stormwater per 1-inch storm. The pond will also serve to irrigate the course, helping to conserve water.<\/p>\n “The Union League is proud to help lead this important initiative focused on long-term stormwater management and flood mitigation within the Byberry Creek watershed and surrounding Northeast Philadelphia communities,\u201d says Union League Golf Club Superintendent Andrew Dooley<\/cite>. \u201cThe project will serve to reduce flooding risks, protect local infrastructure, and improve the quality of life for residents. This effort represents an investment in the future of our community, creating a more resilient environment for generations to come.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Our next grant deadline is October 16, 2026. Pre-application meetings<\/a> for the fall Grant Deadline will open on August 10, 2026!<\/p>\n Be sure to check our website for the most up-to-date resources and sign up for the Stormwater Grants email newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n There are various ways to utilize the Stormwater Grants Evaluation Criteria outlined in our Stormwater Grants Application Guide<\/a>. The rubric tackles criteria such as:<\/p>\n
\nA Stormwater Basin and Green Community Space in the Northeast<\/h2>\n
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![\"A](\"https:\/\/water.phila.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/images\/holy-cross-rain-garden.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/water.phila.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/images\/bethesda-rain-gardens.jpg\")
<\/p>\nA New Green Space for Students<\/h2>\n
![\"Two](\"https:\/\/water.phila.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/images\/marian-anderson-school-rain-garden.jpg\")
<\/p>\nA Golf Course Wet Pond<\/h2>\n
Congratulations to all of our 2025 – 2026 Stormwater Grant Awardees!<\/h2>\n
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Learn more about the 2025-2026 Stormwater Grant Recipients!<\/a><\/h5>\n
\nInterested in a Stormwater Retrofit Grant?<\/h3>\n