Projects
Percy Street
Project Overview
The 800 block of South Percy Street in South Philadelphia showcases the city's first porous green street. The street required excavation for a new sewer, which provided the opportunity to replace the street surface with porous asphalt. Philadelphia streets needing similar reconstruction in the future will be considered for porous application. Porous materials, such as porous asphalt, are specially designed to allow water to soak through a normally impenetrable surface, significantly reducing stormwater runoff from a site. Porous asphalt is as strong as conventional asphalt, but has voids in it that allow water to trickle through the material. By allowing stormwater to infiltrate into the ground instead of flowing into the city's combined sewer system, the porous surface on Percy Street helps reduce the negative impacts of pollution and flooding on local streams and rivers.
Contact Information
Philadelphia Water Department Fax: +1 (215) 685-6043 Email: questions@phillywatersheds.org Mail: Office of Watersheds Philadelphia Water Department 1101 Market Street, 4th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 Website: www.phillywatersheds.org
| This project is intended to reduce stormwater runoff and associated combined sewer overflows. It may also extend the life of the street area and reduce snow removal and de-icing needs. This project was funded by the Philadelphia Water Department. |
