Proper Puddles Prevent Pollution

Now that's a good-looking puddle. Actually, that's the new rain garden significantly reducing parking-lot runoff by the new Little Friends building. As a Quaker school, stewardship of the local environment is a core value, and this puddle is doing its part. After a recent heavy rain, all of this water ends up here instead of flowing directly into the storm drains. Too much rainwater (especially when it comes off of hot asphalt and is contaminated by engine oil and other pollutants that accumulate on impervious parking lot surfaces) can cause severe damage to local waterways. That puddle will drain over the next day or so, and the plants in this swale will filter and dilute the pollutants, keeping them out of Stony Run.

Rain Garden by Little Friends