Newtown Township Establishes Rain Gardens

Newtown Township, Delaware County announced the establishment of demonstration rain gardens in two locations. One garden is located at the Township building on 209 Bishop Hollow Road. The other garden is located at the Newtown Edgmont Little League fields on 323 Bishop Hollow Road. The rain gardens will help Newtown Township meet Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit requirements and control the quantity and quality of water entering township streams, specifically, water going to Springton Point Reservoir, in which Aqua America uses to produce township drinking water.

The Township applied for and received a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Growing Greener grant to pay for the construction of the gardens. The sites were chosen for their functional value in controlling runoff to Hunters Run and their contribution in achieving MS4 requirements. In addition, they are in high-visibility locations, which will generate public awareness about the importance of rain gardens and encourage homeowners to install them on their own properties.

Using grant funds, the Township hired the Chester Ridley Creek Watershed Association (CRC) to handle recruitment of volunteers to tend to the rain gardens. The Delaware County Conservation District provided the gardening equipment and the Township Public Works Department worked with GreenWeaver Landscaping, also hired with grant funds, to prepare the gardens by applying herbicide, removing aged and dying trees and shrubs, excavating and grading the soil, roto-tilling to enhance water infiltration, planting rain garden specific plants, applying mulch and deer repellant.

Daren Grande, president of the Newtown Edgmont Little League was very supportive of the development of the rain garden at the complex. He removed nearby invasive plants and replaced a gravel seating area with larger stones to prevent sediment build-up in the rain garden. Grande also plans to water the garden as needed in the fall.

“The native plants, shrubs, and trees in the rain gardens naturally help control flooding and clean the water in our streams, “ said Cindy Mehallow, Vice Chair of the Township’s Environmental Advisory Council (EAC). “They capture and help absorb stormwater runoff through their deep roots. Also, these plants create a beautiful, healthy year round habitat for butterflies, other pollinators, birds and other wildlife.”

For more information about Newtown Township’s rain gardens, visit https://www.newtowntownship.org/419/Tackling-Storm-Water-Issues-with-Rain-Ga.

To learn about Newtown Township’s ongoing sustainability efforts, visit https://www.newtowntownship.org/417/Sustainable-Newtown-Square.

About Newtown Township

Newtown Township is a suburban community located in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, approximately 12 miles west of Center City, Philadelphia and adjacent to the Main Line. The community offers the convenience of regional amenities, while maintaining the ambiance of a small-town community. The Township is home to many small businesses, as well as cutting- edge national and international corporations. To learn more, visit https://newtowntownship.org.