A new green drainage system designed to capture and purify rainwater run-off from roads and footpaths has been unveiled at East Beach in Cobh in County Cork.
The ‘Nature Based Solution’ National Pilot Project will help manage rainwater run-off using urban trees and rain gardens with plants and soil specially chosen to act as natural filters, cleaning dirty water before it is released into waterways or the sea.
This innovative approach to surface water management not only reduces flood risk, but also enhances water quality, fosters biodiversity, and improves the built environment, according to a statement from Cork County Council released to www.thatsfarming.com
Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD joined Cllr. Alan O’Connor deputising for the Mayor of the County of Cork, to launch the first stage of the Pilot Project in Cobh.
Essentially, it is a temporary demonstrator rain garden at East Beach to test and monitor the quality of rainwater run-off and bio-retention soils used for water filtration.
The next step is a permanent rain garden at Westbourne Place and Five- Footway, with the aim to create a “beautiful and sustainable public spaces to promote leisure and wellbeing”.
Pilot project
The project aligns with the new River Basin Management Policy 2022-2027 and has been funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage with an allocation of €2m spread over the course of four years.
The pilot project forms an integral part of the climate action commitments outlined in Cork County Council’s Cobh Town Centre Urban Design Plan.
Valerie O’Sullivan, Divisional Manager for South Cork at Cork County Council, has outlined that “nature-based solutions such as these form a vital part of the transformational Cobh Public Realm Plan that weaves nature back into the fabric of the town and aims to mitigate the effects of climate change”.
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