Rain gardens aim to stop sewers from backing up into Detroit basements, streets

DETROIT – The city of Detroit is investing in green engineering to help alleviate overwhelmed sewer systems that can backup into homes during rainstorms.

Rain gardens are being installed to soak up rain to keep the water out of streets and sewer lines. The project also includes adding porous pavement that can absorb rain into a drainage system rather than sewer lines.

Fred Finley lives in the Rosedale Park neighborhood, across from Stoepel Park, where a rain garden has been installed.

Finley said that the sewer system used to backup into his basement, but the garden is helping to prevent that.

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