Villanova University, Philadelphia Water Team Up To Address Stormwater Runoff Problem

By Kim Glovas

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Villanova Urban Stormwater Partnership is working to address excessive rain water and the flooding it can cause, especially in the city.

The partnership teams Villanova's Civil and Environmental Engineering department with Philadelphia Water. The goal is to reduce stormwater runoff. Robert Travor is director of the partnership. One of the options is a smart roof, basically holding water in a tank which is later released to a green roof covered with plants.

"Thnink of it as a smart rain barrel. The challenge of rain barrel's is to use the water. The gardeners want to hold onto the water, the engineers want to get rid of it."

Another option is a rain garden, and one is already in place at the Giraffe parking lot at the Philadelphia Zoo.

"The plants are water loving plants, there's cone flowers, some kind of pepper bush. A lot of tall grasses are good."

Traver says these things help absorb the water, instead of allowing polluted runoff into nearby waterways.

In:
• Villanova University
• Environment
• Montgomery County
• Philadelphia