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    1. Erosion Control

    Chicago Elementary School Selected for Rain Garden Construction

    Oct. 9, 2013
    “Reading, Writing, and Rain Gardens” is theme of sixth Water Environment Federation service project

    Source Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

    1655260373835 626265 32151642

    Water professionals from throughout the U.S. have been congregating in Chicago since Oct. 4 for the Water Environment Federation’s (WEF’s) 86th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference, WEFTEC 2013. One highlight of the conference is a community service project, and this year, dozens of participants were offered the chance to spend Saturday, Oct. 5, constructing a rain garden at Haines Elementary School, 247 W. 23rd Pl., Chicago. Construction began at 9 a.m., and a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at 2 p.m.

    Themed "Reading, Writing, and Rain Gardens," the project consisted of replacing concrete with green infrastructure on the school’s playground. The 1000-sq-ft rain garden and native landscaping will help relieve runoff from urban flooding in a critical public space for students. Because the Chicago region was developed in a swampy marsh on a generally flat landscape, water has a difficult time draining. With the addition of impervious pavement such as driveways, streets and buildings, water has nowhere to drain except the sewers. As a result, too much storm water inundating the sewer system causes flooding. A way to minimize this problem and allow water to collect where it falls is through green infrastructure.

    “Locating the project at a school helps us increase the awareness of the value of water with impressionable young minds,” said Tim Moran, Water Environment Federation team lead. “We hope to inspire students to the cause of clean water, underscore the importance of the water profession and demonstrate to the community how to get started on clean water initiatives.”

    “Capturing rain where it falls and allowing that water to recharge our underground water supply is something we need to be doing throughout the Chicago region,” said Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Debra Shore. “Having water professionals construct a rain garden here shows their commitment to managing water resources wisely and will leave a lasting sign of their good work.”

    Source: Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago