University Park Elementary School is doing its part to improve the Anacostia watershed.

The nonprofit Anacostia Watershed Society is digging up the school’s soccer field and areas around the playground to install new stormwater pipes and drainage basins as part of its goal of making the river swimmable and fishable by 2025.

The project, which has been underway for most of the summer, will improve water quality in runoff into nearby Wells Run, the picturesque creek that is a tributary of the Northeast Branch of the Anacostia River.

It will also reduce standing water on the school grounds, which can be a problem after heavy rainfalls such as the ones that have hit the area in recent weeks. That’s a nice side benefit for parents of elementary-aged children who like to splash in muddy puddles.

The underground drainage pipes will dramatically reduce pollutants going into the creek, especially sediment, which is the most common pollutant in U.S. waterways, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources funded the project with a grant, while the University Park Elementary PTA chipped in to cover the cost of replacement benches, trash cans, bike racks and tables.

The Anacostia Watershed Society also plans to work with students at the elementary to help with replanting after the project is over.