Urban Waterbuffer now also in practice

How can we retain rainwater in the subsurface of urban areas longer and more effectively? And can we then subsequently make use of this water? This is what we are researching with different water managers, companies and institutes in the Urban Waterbuffer (UWB) project. Exploratory research has shown that a UWB can make a concrete contribution to the discharge of surplus rainwater and thus prevent flooding: UWB pilot projects will therefore soon begin in Rotterdam and Rheden.

During the first phase of TKI’s Urban Waterbuffer project, the location, the water balance, the preliminary design and the projected costs of actually installing a UWB were identified for four cases: Rotterdam-Spangen, Rotterdam-hNI, Rheden and The Hague. The results show that, particularly in the case of the targeted locations in Rotterdam and Rheden, a UWB could make a concrete contribution in the short term to the discharge of surplus rainwater and thus to flood prevention. The points requiring particular attention are the speed with which the peak precipitation loads can be infiltrated into the subsurface, and the pre-treatment of the rainwater with a view to preventing clogging.