Architecture

Cities’ Nature-Based Solutions in coping with flooding and drought

How water usage can be regulated at home by Grohe's innovative Sense and Sense Guard water systems

January 18, 2022

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By 

Catherine D. Ong

The countries in the tropical belt are more prone to typhoons, which can lead to flooding. These lands suffer from droughts in the dry season, too. Water sources are sometimes polluted, which result to city leaders and designers currently working hand in hand to address this issue and turn to nature to develop their infrastructures. Lixil and Grohe are among the innovative brands that present practical solutions on how water consumption can be regulated amidst these concerns.

“As urban areas expand, the amount of permeable land reduces, increasing flooding events, pollution, and ultimately the quantity and quality of water supply. Nature-based solutions offer a more sustainable, adaptable, and affordable way to achieve climate and flood resilience. They also have benefits that support the UN Sustainable Development Goals. They redevelop the natural water cycle process, reduce the peak flows, allow the water to be naturally retained, reduce the flooding risk, and provide a water source during the dry seasons. Kind of like the natural cycle coming back.” – Ross Mckenzie, Arcadis Head of South-East Asia & India

Sometimes called blue, green, or green-gray infrastructure, the concept is simple: work with nature and not against it. This would be more ideal, especially in large cities. “It’s like bringing the concrete jungle back into the natural water cycle,” explains Mckenzie.

It can be executed at multiple scales. Reforesting the watershed, waterway edges, and mangroves in order to make more resilient gray buildings. Integrate gardens on walkways to assist in cooling and capturing rainwater. Parks can facilitate water retention so the excess water captured from a typhoon or rainy season can be preserved. During the summer, when the water level is low, this reservoir can be distributed to waterways in order to be used.

The Yangjaecheon Stream is the centerpiece of a beloved park and filming location in Seoul, South Korea. The stream, which once had concrete revetments, underwent a naturalization in the mid-1990s, Today, the park is home to over 340 species of birds and amphibians.
Turenscape designed a floodplain in Zhejiang Sheng, China, into monsoon-resilient Yanweizhou Park. Its resilient plantings and bridge and paths system adapt to the rivers’ dynamic water currents. It welcomes the annual floods to enrich the floodplain ecosystem.
One of Singapore’s largest urban parks in central Singapore, Bishan-Ang Mo Kio, was given a much-needed refresh under the government’s Active, Beautiful, and Clean Waters (ABC) Program. The old concrete canal was transformed into a meandering river with lush banks.

It is the efficiency of water utility system of the systems that we need to control in our cities, not the excessive rainfall and drought, or lack thereof. “One of the biggest wasters is non-revenue water (NRW), the water that never makes it to consumers. Most of the loss is caused by leakage through pipe bursts that you don’t know about for weeks,” says McKenzie. The International Water Association estimates that emerging markets have experienced up to 75% NRW. Water losses cannot be eliminated, but ideally water service providers should lower it to below 20%.

You may also like: LIXIL and GROHE’s Water Detection and Filtering Systems are both practical and efficient

Thankfully, this does not have to be the case for individual households and small businesses. Lixil recently included the GROHE Sense and Sense Guard water systems in their line, which can efficiently detect any leakage in piping or plumbing systems, whether it is minor, major, or impending. The system then sends alerts to your mobile phone on excessive water usage as well. Smarter water systems can start at home, informing us of our own consumption habits so we can reevaluate our lifestyles. Once we are able to manage healthy consumption on our own, we can also educate the next generation on water usage.

When GROHE Sense Guard detects a pipe break, it automatically shuts off the water supply to stop further damage.
GROHE Sense Guard water security system is capable of detecting issues and pipe leaks before they cause a major water damage, which gives more time for everyone to react. Moreover, installing is a job that you can do quickly and easily.
GROHE Sense and Sense Guard both notify you on your mobile of a pipe break, leak, or water where there shouldn’t be.

Clean water is a resource we should not take for granted, as we use this for sanitation, drinking and hygiene. With innovations efficiently merging technology and nature, the future looks hopeful. The challenges of urbanization in cities and climate change might be daunting, but a mindful government and thoughtful citizens would be able to thrive in this constantly changing world.

Photos and descriptions are provided by GROHE Water Efficiency PR Materials

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