April 22, 2013

In honor of earth day, and all of the rain we have been having, we want to introduce you to the idea of rain gardens.  Rain gardens are becoming more popular in recent years as a sustainable management solution for storm water run off.  They serve as a green alternative to draining water directly into storm drains.

Storm water runoff is the leading source of water pollution in Michigan, according to raingardens.org, a Michigan organization dedicated to preserving our most precious natural resource, water.50% of storm water pollution comes from residential homes according to the EPA.  As water runs off our roofs, parking lots,streets and lawns it picks up road salt, pet waste, lawn fertilizers, spilled gasoline, oil and other pollutants.  The rainwater washes these pollutants into our storm drains and ditches, which carry the pollution into our lakes, streams and rivers.

A rain garden can help to deter this water from entering our storm drains, and help to filter out any pollutants before entering our ground water.  These gardens generally consist of native plants that can survive flooding and drought. If you are interested learning more about rain gardens you can visit www.raingardens.org , or contact us at Twin Oaks to inquire about installing a rain garden at your home or business.