Last updated: October 2021
Excess rainwater in sewers causes flooding and the overflow spills into the rivers. Rainwater spilling across pavements can also make for an unpleasant walking experience in the city. Dublin City Council, in collaboration with residents, ran a trial use of Rain Box Planters as a way of both greening the streets and better managing rainwater coming from roofs. The Rain Box Planters were placed below houses’ gutters in order to slow the torrent of water entering the drain. The first trials were successful and the next stage is to test them on a larger scale. (ref 2, 3)
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
- Green areas for water management
- Other
Key challenges
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
Focus
Other
Project objectives
1. Improve the visual aspect of the streets by adding plants.
2. Increase green spaces within the city.
3. Reduce flooding due to the overloading of sewers during heavy rainfall events.
4. Reduce the damages from heavy rain on the city infrastructure.
5. Make the residents satisfied with the instalment. (ref 2, 3).
Implementation activities
A trial study was carried out to get a better idea of the issues involved in implementing the Rain Box Planters on a larger scale – the costs involved, the cost savings achievable, public engagement and reaction, and the technical and maintenance issues that may arise. The Box Planters were designed with an overflow pipe connected to the sewer to ensure that they do not overflow from the top. The boxes' design allows for the rainfall to be held back from entering the sewer system and instead either evaporate or become soaked up by specially selected plants. During the winter months, when evaporation levels will be low, the rain boxes will still have the effect of slowing the flow rates to the sewer, reducing flooding and sewer overflows downstream during extreme rainfall events. The rainfall down-pipes are cut at about 400mm - 600mm above ground in order to install the Box Planters. (ref 1, 2)
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Dissemination of information and education
- Citizen science
- Citizen monitoring and review
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Design and installation of the Box Planters were done by Max Kemper of Maximize Design. The intervention was initiated by Dublin City Council and tested by the Council and local residents who took part in the study trial. (ref 1, 2)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
No
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(Dublin City Council has policies in place (Regional Drainage Policies - Volume 2: New Development) for new developments to reduce the amount of rainwater entering sewers. In that context, they also acknowledged the need to look at existing buildings to see where they could make improvements. That gave rise to the Rain Box Planters project idea. (ref 1, 4))
Financing
Total cost
Less than €10,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Water management and blue areas
- Increased protection against flooding
- Improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
Economic impacts
- Reduce financial cost for urban management
Socio-cultural impacts
- Safety
- Increased perception of safety
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Education
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts, Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Dublin City Council (2014). Dublin City Council Beta Projects Report Card: Rain Box Planters. [pdf] available at: Source link
(Accessed 3rd September 2020).
2. Dublin City Council Beta Projects (2014). Rain Box Planters. [online] available at: Source link (Accessed 3rd September, 2020).
3. Dublin City Council (2015). RAIN BOX PLANTERS. [online] available at: Source link (Accessed 3rd September, 2020).
4. Fleming, A., Edger, M., O’Keeffe, C. (2005). Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage Study. Regional Drainage Policies - Volume 2: New Development. [pdf] available at: Source link (Accessed 3rd September, 2020).
(Accessed 3rd September 2020).
2. Dublin City Council Beta Projects (2014). Rain Box Planters. [online] available at: Source link (Accessed 3rd September, 2020).
3. Dublin City Council (2015). RAIN BOX PLANTERS. [online] available at: Source link (Accessed 3rd September, 2020).
4. Fleming, A., Edger, M., O’Keeffe, C. (2005). Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage Study. Regional Drainage Policies - Volume 2: New Development. [pdf] available at: Source link (Accessed 3rd September, 2020).