Did you know that urban areas, with their artificial impermeable surfaces like pavements and roofs, generate five times more runoff than rural areas? These surfaces, such as roads, parking lots, and pedestrian walkways, contribute significantly to urban runoff – a major factor in flooding and water pollution across cities worldwide.
During heavy rainstorms, these impermeable surfaces prevent water from infiltrating the ground. Instead, rainwater is directed into sewers, which often discharge untreated stormwater into nearby rivers, lakes, and streams. This runoff is typically laden with pollutants, including hydrocarbons from oil, tire wear, and atmospheric fallout, posing a serious threat to water quality.
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Dewatering surfaces to desaturate networks
Our cities' sewage systems, designed to handle wastewater and rainwater through "all-pipes" policies, are now struggling to cope. Increasing heavy rainfall events quickly overwhelm networks, leading to urban flooding and uncontrolled discharges of polluted water into rivers. The sealing of soils also prevents the natural recharge of aquifers, causing them to dry out over time.
One solution is to manage stormwater locally, parcel by parcel. Permeable surfaces, such as parking lots or roadways equipped with OSMORIA Indigreen aquatextiles, help reduce runoff, recharge groundwater, and protect the natural functions of the soil. These surfaces even create cooling effects through evapotranspiration, which is crucial for reducing urban heat.
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Using nature-based solutions
Nature-based solutions involve sustainable actions to manage and restore ecosystems, directly addressing societal challenges while ensuring benefits for both human well-being and biodiversity. In stormwater management, nature-based solutions offer numerous advantages. Water runoff infiltrates vegetated areas, promoting plant growth and evapotranspiration. This process combats urban heat islands and improves soil permeability, which enhances water infiltration and recharges groundwater.
By encouraging local water infiltration, these nature-based solutions not only preserve water quality but also reduce the risks of flooding and drought, while maintaining biodiversity. However, stormwater in urban environments is often polluted with hydrocarbons and PAHs. This is where OSMORIA aquatextiles come in – systematically treating infiltrated water and helping to eliminate these harmful pollutants, ensuring a long-term, sustainable solution.
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Underground stormwater management structures
In densely built urban areas where surface space is limited, underground stormwater management systems become a practical option. Infiltration trenches, reservoir pavements, underground basins, and wells are all designed to fit within the constraints of urbanization. These systems can be integrated into roads, parking lots, footpaths, and cycleways to effectively manage stormwater.
For long-term performance, it's important to address water quality as well. Installing OSMORIA aquatextiles within these underground systems ensures that stormwater is treated before infiltration, providing a durable solution to manage both quantity and quality in urban stormwater management.
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