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Rotary members Dietrich Bilger, Leslie Shur and Maggie Stoeffel placed 15 storm drain markers along Germantown Avenue, Pastorius Park, and nearby streets in Chestnut Hill, as an environmental awareness project. The city-wide initiative is run by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (PDE), who has been working with the Philadelphia Water Department since 2006.
According to PDE, water pollution after a rain storm, known as storm water runoff pollution, is one of the greatest threats to our region’s waterways.
“We had a lot of fun doing this,” said Leslie Shur, Chair, Service Projects, Chestnut Hill Rotary. “We also learned a lot about the environmental aspect of the city’s sewer systems.”
The storm drain markers are meant remind people that some inlets lead directly to local streams; others lead to treatment plants, but overflow into streams when it rains heavily. They help to discourage dumping trash, chemicals, and other waste down the drains. According to PDE, there are 75,000 sewer inlets in just Philadelphia. The markers are expected to last a decade or more.
This particular volunteer event was sponsored by the Chestnut Hill Community Association. The Rotary club is looking to participate again in the future.
