City Funds Rain Gardens for St. Emydius Church

One of Ingleside’s historic churches is receiving a grant from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to make green stormwater infrastructure improvements.

St. Emydius Church — named for the patron saint of earthquake survivors — received a $873,000 grant from the SFPUC’s Green Infrastructure Grant Program, according to Greenprint Partners, a design, engineering and planning firm working with the church on the project. The grant will help pay for infrastructure improvements, including managing stormwater from the roof, pavement and surrounding area.

The project includes installing four rain gardens that will include native plants and attract native birds and butterflies. Rain gardens can help with slowing and cleaning stormwater as well as helping prevent overflow of the city’s combined wastewater and sewer system, especially during heavy storms.

Rain gardens are usually below the street level so that the storm water can easily flow through the soils and plants.They usually feature drought tolerant plants.

The church will have an underground infiltration gallery installed that will hold up to 7,800 gallons of extra water when it rains. Additionally, asphalt around the church will be transformed to new landscaping.

Greenprint Partners said construction is set to begin in 2023 and expect heavy construction to be completed between six to eight weeks followed by planting.
Since the launch of the SFPUC’s Green Infrastructure Grant Program, the commission has awarded a total of over $10 million to 11 projects, including several schools and churches.