Last updated: October 2021
As part of the EU Life+ CITYWATER project (of 3 cities), a sustainable stormwater management solution based on biofiltration was implemented in Maunulanpuisto Park in Helsinki, in order to purify rainwater and meltwater and improve water quality in the Haaganpuro Brook. As the drainage area is heavily trafficked and paved with asphalt, high solid, nutrient and oil levels have occasionally been measured in the rainwater and meltwater entering the Haaganpuro brook. Such contamination is harmful to the fish stocks (e.g. trout) and other organisms in the brook. The biofiltration solution was the first of its kind in Helsinki. The solution also supported the City of Helsinki stormwater strategy, which aims at changing management towards sustainable solutions and states that stormwater should in first hand be infiltrated on spot, where it is created (ref. 1).
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Lakes/ponds
- Green areas for water management
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
Key challenges
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Improvements to water quality
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
Focus
Maintenance and management of urban nature, Monitoring of habitats and/or biodiversity, Management of rivers and other blue areas
Project objectives
1. CITYWATER aimed at improving the quality of local water that streams into the Haaganpuro Brook
2. The project also aimed at raising awareness about the problems of the Baltic Sea on a local level (Ref 1, 2, 3).
Implementation activities
- Create a biofiltration area where the water is pooled and vegetation given the time to bind nutrients and heavy metals. From here the water slowly permeates the filtrating sandy layers under the vegetation where harmful substances are absorbed, after which the purified water is fed into the Haaganpuro Brook (Ref 2).
- Water quality improvement through sedimentation of suspended particles and microbiological activity and quantity control through retention (Ref. 3)
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Multilateral organisation
- National government
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Dissemination of information and education
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
CITYWATER was a project of the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, but executed in close collaboration with the Baltic Sea Challenge network that extends beyond the Finnish border. The project was co-funded via the EU LIFE+ programme (ref 9).
Funding provided by the LIFE+ Programme and the Finnish Ministry of the Environment. This solution was implemented in the framework of “CITYWATER- Benchmarking water protection in cities” project. The contract considering planning of the biofiltration technique was signed by the city of Helsinki with the Finnish Consulting Group (ref. 12)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(The CITYWATER project particularly considers 1. the Water Framework Directive, 2. the Marine Strategy Directive, 3. the EU Baltic Sea Region Strategy, and 4. the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (Ref 3). It is not specified which specific directive/strategy influenced which specific project.)
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(EU Life+ that also funded the CITYWATER project also funded the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Climate Change Adaptation Strategy that was published in 2012 (the same year as this intervention started) and emphasizes the importance of water management, especially in the face of intensified rainfall (Ref 10). )
Financing
Total cost
€500,000 - €2,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- EU funds
- Public national budget
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Direct funding or subsidy
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Improved stormwater management
Economic impacts
- Attraction of business and investment
Socio-cultural impacts
- Unknown
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
References
1: The Baltic Sea Challenge. n.d. Sustainable storm water management through biofiltration. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
2: European Commission. 2016. Citywater: Benchmarking waters protection in cities 2012-2015. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
3: European Commission. 2016. LIFE 11 ENV/FI/000909 FINAL Report Covering the project activities from 01/10/2012 to 31/12/2015. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
4: Citywater. n.d. Storm water handling. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
5: City of Helsinki Environment Centre. 2015. Citywater - biofiltration in the central park in Helsinki. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
6: The Baltic Sea Challenge. n.d. Implementing sustainable storm water solutions. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
7: Citywater. n.d. Disseminating results. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
8: Citywater. n.d. Cost-benefit analysis. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
9: Citywater. n.d. Citywater. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
10: HSA. 2012. Helsinki Metropolitan Area Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
11: City of Helsinki. 2014. Storm water strategy City of Helsinki. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
12. Baltic Smart Water. (2017). Biofiltration in Maunulanpuisto Park in Helsinki, Finland. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
2: European Commission. 2016. Citywater: Benchmarking waters protection in cities 2012-2015. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
3: European Commission. 2016. LIFE 11 ENV/FI/000909 FINAL Report Covering the project activities from 01/10/2012 to 31/12/2015. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
4: Citywater. n.d. Storm water handling. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
5: City of Helsinki Environment Centre. 2015. Citywater - biofiltration in the central park in Helsinki. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
6: The Baltic Sea Challenge. n.d. Implementing sustainable storm water solutions. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
7: Citywater. n.d. Disseminating results. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
8: Citywater. n.d. Cost-benefit analysis. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
9: Citywater. n.d. Citywater. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
10: HSA. 2012. Helsinki Metropolitan Area Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
11: City of Helsinki. 2014. Storm water strategy City of Helsinki. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
12. Baltic Smart Water. (2017). Biofiltration in Maunulanpuisto Park in Helsinki, Finland. Available at: Source link (Accessed 22 July 2020)
Sedimentation and Biofiltration Area (2016)
Photographer: Kajsa Rosqvist (City of Helsinki/CITYWATER project), retrieved 08/15/2018