In 2015, Philadelphia Water launched the Stormwater Credits Explorer application that enables large-lot owners to calculate their savings in stormwater fees by installing different types of green infrastructure.

Using a browser-based platform, owners of commercial and industrial properties in Philadelphia can “draw” ideas for green infrastructure projects directly onto a bird’s-eye-view map of their lot.

Like many cities, Philadelphia’s stormwater utility levies non-residential stormwater management fees depending upon the percentage of impermeable surface on the lot. Focused solely on stormwater credits, but similar to other calculators, Credits Explorer pre-loads localized data, allows the owner to pinpoint their property and then try different green infrastructure solutions. The program not only calculates the impact on surface permeability; it calculates the amount owners can save each month on stormwater fees.

Unlike other calculators, Credits Explorer doesn’t require much data input; it’s already in the system.