Matchmaking app helps Philadelphia property owners curtail stormwater runoff

“When we first started, we were unofficially calling it the Stormwater Match.com, and the web developers called it the Tinder for stormwater projects,” joked Carla Windt, stormwater staff engineer for the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD). “It really is a lot like a dating app.”

PWD recently released Stormwater Connect, an application that helps nonresidential property owners take advantage of the utility’s Stormwater Grants program — a 10-year effort that has helped finance nearly 200 green stormwater infrastructure projects on private properties.

Those projects are a key component to Philadelphia’s 25-year, multi-billion “Green City, Clean Waters” initiative to reduce combined sewer overflow pollution in local waterways. 

About 60% of Philadelphia is served by a 19th-century combined sewer system, which uses a single pipe to transport both stormwater and wastewater. The infrastructure works well in dry weather, but can overflow during major rainstorms, sending billions of gallons of stormwater and diluted sewage into local waterways each year. 

To build on the grant program’s success, the utility hired researchers to determine why some vendors and property owners weren’t taking advantage of the effort. Stormwater retrofit projects, such as rain gardens, green roofs, cisterns or permeable pavements, allow property owners to cut their monthly stormwater charge by up to 80%, and green infrastructure can improve property values and showcase an owner’s commitment to sustainability. 

Researchers found it was usually an issue of connection. Without large sales teams, vendors were unable to channel much enthusiasm from property owners to follow through with a stormwater retrofit project. And property owners didn’t have time to wade through the grant application process to see if a project would qualify, Windt said. 

PWD also wanted to expand the grant program’s community impact by targeting nonresidential customers in the $200- to $500-monthly billing range instead of the $1,000 monthly range, said Beth Anne Lutes, the utility’s stormwater billing and incentives manager. 

“We’re trying to put a more equitable lens on the program,” she said. “Though they’re smaller, these customers might need the grants the most.”

Now, stormwater management vendors can create a profile detailing their specialties, and nonresidential property owners can build a profile summing up their project ideas. Then vendors pursue potential projects that align with their expertise, and property owners search for vendors that meet their needs. 

Once a match is made, the utility forms a team to help participants apply for a stormwater grant, which can cover up to 100% of the design and construction costs. 

The app is new and participants are still enrolling, but organizers are happy with the level of interest so far, Windt said. 

“Our campaign is really focused on getting property owners aware of the program now so they can apply for grants in the spring,” Lutes said. “We think we’ll see the fruits of our labor with the spring application process.”

Ultimately, the local watershed will get the most love from this matchmaking process.

“It’s not just public spaces that contribute to combined stormwater overflows,” Lutes said. “We need to be engaging with private property owners about the need to reduce combined sewer overflows. Then they know that they can help contribute to a solution.”