The City of Philadelphia.

Write a 1 page single-spaced paper answering the questions based on the paragraph below. The rubric is
below.
Surface runoff is an enormous problem in the City of Philadelphia. When it rains in the city water runs down
streets, sidewalks, and off parking lots causing our rivers such as the Delaware and Schuylkill to flood. Besides
causing flooding, the water also carries with it non-point source pollution such as fertilizers, dog waste, oil, and
trash.
Philadelphia has begun to charge churches, businesses, and even colleges and universities for the amount of
paved or impervious surfaces on their properties. Since this charge has begun, the Community College of
Philadelphia has completed major renovations in this department. Many of these upgrades cannot be seen by
the eye, but they are there. A couple includes green roofs on the Pavilion and Bonnell buildings and an
underground rainwater collection systems behind the West building on 18th street. All of these additions have
lowered the College's runoff charge.
Your paper should answer the following questions in detail and with a factual basis:
Paper explains the problem of surface runoff in the City of Philadelphia.
Paper gives examples of ways that residents can lower their runoff charge.
Paper gives a factual opinion as to whether the current runoff charge deters residents from paving over
surfaces.
If you live in the city of Philadelphia, take a look at your water bill, you will see a separate charge for runoff. Do
you think a charge to residents for runoff is a reasonable way to motivate homeowners to remove non-porous
surfaces and replace them with porous surfaces? What are some ways residents in the City of Philadelphia
can lower their runoff charge?
Transparency: Students have been assigned this writing assignment because if they or someone they know
owns property in Philadelphia, they are being charged a surcharge on their water bill. By being aware of this
charge and the reason for the charge, students can be engaged citizens in their city. They also can be aware of
solutions that owners in the City of Philadelphia can practice in that may lower their monthly runoff charge. This
assignment directly aligns with CLO’s and Scientific Reasoning Essential Skills.