Sustainable Infrastructure

Rain gardens are shallow basins planted with deep-rooted native wildflowers, grasses, and shrubs that filter and absorb stormwater runoff and the pollutants it carries. Their extensive root systems remove nutrients, sediments, and pollutants before water enters groundwater and waterways. Native plants, which were present before European settlement, are well adapted to local conditions and require very little care once established. They help prevent erosion, improve water quality, and provide essential food and habitat for local wildlife, including birds, butterflies, and other insects. Permeable pavements provide a solid surface similar to conventional pavements while allowing stormwater to infiltrate through the surface to the underlying soil, reducing runoff to the sewer system, decreasing the amount of water sent to the local wastewater treatment plant, cleaning stormwater through natural biological processes, and promoting groundwater recharge.

Evanston, Illinois · United States