Garrett Hill Group Gets Grant For Stormwater Project

ROSEMONT — Garrett Hill Coalition (GHC), a local civic organization, has been awarded a $4,100 grant by the Water Resources Education Network, a project of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizen Education Fund for its project titled: “Managing Stormwater in Our Back Yards: Valley Run, Radnor Township.” 

Funding will support educational workshops and demonstration projects for residents of Radnor and Lower Merion Townships to learn about ways to reduce polluted runoff and remedy flooding problems using landscaping amenities like rain gardens and rain barrels. 

GHC is working in the effort with project partners Radnor Township; Garrett Hill Community Enhancement Trust; Memorial Library of Radnor Township; Villanova Urban Stormwater Partnership; Delaware Riverkeeper Network; Aqua Pennsylvania; Chanticleer, A Pleasure Garden; and Bryn Mawr Boy Scout Troop #19. 

The group plans to conduct a rain garden workshop this fall to help homeowners. The coalition also plans to build a demonstration "rain garden" in Radnor Township’s Clem Macrone Park.

A rain garden is an attractive native plant garden designed to capture, soak up, and filter rainwater before it enters local water bodies.

The project has been made possible through a Community Watershed Education Grant awarded by the Water Resource Education Network (WREN), a project of the PA League of Women Voters Citizen Education Fund. 

Grant funding is through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Nonpoint Source Management Program and Section 319 of the federal Clean Water Act, administered by the Environmental Protection Agency.

How can you help reduce water pollution?  

You can make a difference by installing rain barrels, rain gardens, planting trees, and educating yourself. Other ways to ensure there is enough clean water include picking up pet waste, properly disposing of household chemicals, such as paints and cleaning supplies, sweeping driveways and sidewalks instead of hosing them, and washing cars at car wash facilities or on lawns rather than in driveways, where it can runoff to local streams.