{"id":861,"date":"2022-06-29T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-29T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/water.phila.gov\/blog\/introducing-stormwater-connect\/"},"modified":"2022-12-03T11:10:28","modified_gmt":"2022-12-03T16:10:28","slug":"introducing-stormwater-connect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/water.phila.gov\/blog\/introducing-stormwater-connect\/","title":{"rendered":"Introducing Stormwater Connect"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our Stormwater Incentives<\/a> team is taking on an unlikely role: matchmaking<\/strong>.<\/big><\/p>\n

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Students play on the new porous turf field at James R. Lowell School \u2014 a Stormwater Grant recipient. Photo Courtesy: Jenna Stamm\/Trust for Public Land<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Stormwater Grants Program<\/a> has helped support the installation of dozens<\/strong> of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI)<\/a> projects on private properties around Philadelphia for more than a decade. These spectacular additions help to make our communities greener, decrease monthly stormwater bills, and prevent combined sewer overflows from polluting our local creeks and rivers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

However, we\u2019re only 11 years into a 25-year goal of reducing more than 2 billion gallons of pollution in our waterways<\/strong>. To keep this momentum, we need to expand our private partnerships<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Knowing any stormwater retrofit project (what we call adding GSI to an already-built property) can be an intimidating undertaking for property owners<\/strong>, we want to help ease the process. In June, we officially launched Stormwater Connect<\/a>\u2014an online tool designed to link green stormwater vendors with non-residential property owners.<\/p>\n

Why We Created It<\/h2>\n

Over the past 10 years, more than 230 grants totaling more than $158 million<\/a> have been awarded to non-residential properties, such as schools and businesses, around Philadelphia to install GSI. And nearly a third of Greened Acres<\/a> implemented through Green City, Clean Waters<\/em><\/a> were made possible by non-residential properties taking advantage of our Stormwater Incentives<\/a>, including the Grants Program.<\/p>\n

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One of four rain gardens Bethesda Presbyterian Church installed with the help of a Stormwater Grant.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Through the Grants program, there are a variety of ways GSI projects get started, including when vendors reach out to property owners<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Much like online dating websites help people find romantic partners, we created an online platform to help property owners find the \u201cright match\u201d<\/strong> to partner with on their retrofit journeys.<\/p>\n

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\u201cStormwater Connect is an online web-application that assists vendors in making initial connections with property owners interested in the Stormwater Grants program,\u201d says Beth Anne Lutes, PWD\u2019s Stormwater Billing and Incentives Manager.<\/cite> \u201dSimilar to an online dating profile, the tool is used to determine whether a property owner and vendor could be a good fit in pursuing a grant project together.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

How It Works<\/h2>\n
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Vendors and property owners sign up to share their specifications, specialities, and interests<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Once vendors complete a profile, they can start searching potential projects that align with their expertise.<\/p>\n

When a property owner signs up, they will find a list of vendors that match their needs using filters<\/strong>, such as experience building particular GSI, and vendors they're interested in are notified.<\/p>\n

From there, vendors can request a direct follow-up. Once connected, they can confirm what is possible on the non-residential site<\/strong> and a Stormwater Grant team partnership can be formed.<\/p>\n

Then, the team applies for a grant, which can cover up to 100% of design and construction costs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Meet your Match!<\/h2>\n