This project is an excellent example of the power of community stewardship. The homeowner was informed of DOEE’s RiverSmart Homes program from a neighbor and requested their free stormwater audit. After learning the possibilities, the homeowner took full advantage of the program, installing a 60 square foot rain garden connected to the northwestern downspout of the home, a 120 square foot conservation landscape to capture sheet flow from the back patio, a rain barrel and three trees.
Now fully aware of the issues stormwater poses, the homeowner recognized that the water from his neighbor’s large patio was running through his backyard and could be managed on his property using another rain garden. So, he decided to install another! The small yard now treats his entire roof area, plus his neighbor’s 1,600 square foot concrete patio. Now, the homeowner is an advocate himself. He has encouraged his friends and neighbors to participate in both the RiverSmart homes program and Prince George’s County’s Rain Check Rebate program, and recently allowed his home to be the subject of a series of educational videos on residential stormwater projects.
