Big Roofs

Apostolic Faith Church

Unique to this project was the need to use a lift to work on rain gutters in the back to keep the pipe less visible and bring water to the front of the building. The rain garden was installed just as a smaller one would be, but we used an excavator for a few days instead of a few hours.
Britten Clark, Thriving Garden Design
Project Facts
Contractor
Thriving Garden Designs
Scope
One rain garden
Roof Captured
4,650 square feet
Amount Rebated
$18,000
Project Summary

Apostolic Faith Church is located between the Green Lake, Maple Leaf and Ravenna neighborhoods in Seattle. Its distinctive RainWise installation captures over 71,000 gallons of rain that falls on the church roof each year. The project

  • enhances community awareness of stormwater issues,
  • absorbs rainwater runoff from the rooftop,
  • protects Puget Sound from combined sewer system overflows, and
  • encourages other faith communities to be a part of the RainWise program.

The project was completed in September 2017, with a total of $18,600 covered by the RainWise rebate program.

Project Specifications

The entire 4,650 square foot church roof drains into one large 273 square foot rain garden. Two overflows go to the sidewalk and a third directs to the side sewer.

Apostolic Faith is in a unique location, with the I-5 corridor directly behind the property and a busy street with residential homes in front. The RainWise contractor, Thriving Garden Design, worked with a geotech consultant for the required infiltration test to assess the site’s water absorption rate. After the pre-inspection approval, workers could install the rain garden.

Using Apostolic Faith’s existing plants in the design and layout, the RainWise installation brings new life to the front yard.

Environmental Stewardship

The project could not have been completed without the dedication of Apostolic Faith’s Pastor, Bill McKibben. Throughout the installation process, he was patient and kind.

The RainWise outreach team celebrated the Apostolic Faith’s RainWise installation in September 2017 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. As good stewards of creation, Apostolic Faith Church urges other houses of worship to take advantage of this program both to beautify the landscape of private properties and to help control water pollution and combined sewer overflows.

Project partners include church leadership, King County staff, RainWise outreach staff and the creative design talents of the RainWisecontractor, Thriving Garden Design. All stakeholders worked together to keep thousands of gallons of rainwater out of the sewer system each year.

Further Reading

Apostolic Faith Church Case Study