As has been covered on Wallyhood before, when it rains Wallingford’s toilet flushes go into Lake Union at the bottom of Stone Way. This is partly because the down spouts on old construction go into the same tube your toilet does. The city wants to mitigate that by providing you with free rain gardern stuff if you live near Stone Way.
Not convinced? Madison Davis with Seattle University says:
In hopes of better understanding how residents place value on green infrastructure such as rain gardens, I am conducting a research project and seek YOUR input in this 5-minute survey:
http://seattleu.qualtrics.com/
More Background from Madison:
The City of Seattle is taking a variety of measures to better control combined sewer overflows (CSOs), a recurring problem that arises when large amounts of storm water cause a back-up of combined sewers, which may flood streets and pollute nearby streams and lakes. One measure the city is encouraging is Green Infrastructure, offering financial incentives through the city’s RainWise program to build rain gardens and cisterns on residential properties. Green Infrastructure improvements are being promoted in the Wallingford neighborhood, where residents may be able to take advantage of those financial incentives.
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Lovely idea – however – I entered my address at 36th & Meridian and addresses at 36th & Densmore and 42nd & Sunnyside – all popped up as “Your property not eligible for rebates”. I hope other Wallingforders have more luck!
One of my first projects when moving into my home 30 years ago was to disconnect the downspouts from the old drain lines and either install splash blocks directing the flow away from the foundation into planting beds, or running a new underground perforated drain line under my beds. It is a very rare occasion that any water ever comes out the end of the perforated drain line, all being absorbed underground.
Disconnecting downspouts does not have to be expensive.
For the Wallingford Playfield projects, we removed nearly all of the concrete walkways and replaced them with the crushed rock walkways.
On the other hand, I continue to scratch my head about how many new developments (and some new homes) appear to greatly exceed the allowed lot coverage, often going nearly property line to property line. Paving over a lot with DPD’s blessing does not seem to fit with the intent expressed by SPU.
Darn! worthy, your properties seem to fall about 1-4 blocks east of the boundary for the Fremont/Wallingford Eligible area (map can be accessed here https://content.renewfund.com/production/seattle/fremontwallingford_cso.en.pdf).
If Green Infrastructure and the RainWise program proves to be successful and widespread, it is possible the city will extend boundaries in future CSO management plans!
Thanks Madison, I updated the article text to include a link to that map; it’s very helpful. Do you know where waste water to the East of that map ends up?
Good question, Eric. The wastewater East of the eligible area still ends up in combined sewers, but in areas that are currently classified as “controlled” outfalls under the city’s current CSO Management Plans. Here’s another map of outfalls and their current classification as controlled or not controlled: http://www.seattle.gov/util/cs/groups/public/@spu/@usm/documents/webcontent/02_008043.pdf
We had someone come and look at our Wallingford house for one of these Seattle sponsored rain garden projects. Unfortunately our front yard was not wide enough. They told us that the garden needed to start at least 10 feet from our house, so our yard was too narrow. I love the idea of many Seattle rain gardens, so I hope others of you try this.