In 2018, Alice’s Garden, a 2.2 acre garden in the heart of Milwaukee, applied for and received a Solar for Good Grant to put a 4kW solar array in their garden as part of their Rainwater Harvesting Project. The mission for this project was to create an environmentally friendly irrigation system that captures the storm water that runs off of the neighboring Brown Street Academy’s impermeable blacktop playground. That water is filtered through a bioswale and channeled into and stored in an underground cistern located below the garden. Water stored in the cistern is distributed by a solar powered pump to spigots where gardeners access the water to irrigate their garden plots. During an average rain season, this green infrastructure will prevent hundreds of thousands of gallons of runoff out of Milwaukee’s wastewater treatment system. In addition to powering the pump, the solar system powers lights and sound systems for garden & community events for all ages.
This project increases the viability of the garden community and the surrounding neighborhood by successfully reducing stormwater runoff, effectively reducing basement backups and combined sewer overflows which impair the health of the local neighborhood, while also reducing the annual watering costs and demonstrating sustainability practices. In addition, Alice’s Garden offers water and energy conservation education to gardeners, neighbors, school groups & all visitors through classes, tours, and signage. Through this project they show that green improvements are available to all people.
Solar aligns with Alice’s Garden’s mission in that it better stewards the earth’s resources in the growing of food, builds community through improved community events and through the incredible collaboration of community groups to complete this project, and serves to educate their neighbors on the accessibility of green infrastructure and solar power.
Alice’s Garden is located in a neighborhood that is 85% African American with a median income in 2018 of $22,092.. The student body of Brown Street Academy to the south of the garden is 99% African American. The gardeners and visitors to the garden represent all ethnicities.
The Couillard Solar Foundation is proud to have been a part of Alice’s Garden’s Rainwater Harvesting Project.
Check out this video about Alice’s Garden for more information.