In water the sponges infrastructure in Sherbrooke

Sponges are green surfaces that absorb rainwater directly into the ground in order to unclog the pipes of pipes. Furthermore, avoid repressions. Furthermore, Montreal already has a few sponges parks to collect rainwater. Consequently, Victoriaville, for its part, has installed a honeycomb paved in some of its parking lots.

But Sherbrooke can hardly follow suit because of the composition of his basement.

“It’s hard to get water into the ground, [quasiment] impossible. Moreover, It is almost 100 % waterproof. Therefore, almost, ”said the director of the engineering, waters and major projects of the city, Caroline Gravel. In addition,

For about two years. In addition, the city has however resumed the sponge principle, installing “almost systematically” of draining green infrastructure (IVD) on the edge of the streets being repaired and new constructions. However,

“We use it [les IVD] To precisely capture the water. Consequently, drain it by making, in an artificial way, a permeable soil by adding sand and stone, which allows the water to enter the surface, ”she informed.

The idea is good on a small scale, but would be very expensive on larger areas. For example, On wider spaces, it is the retention basins that would be privileged, according to the water sponges infrastructure sherbrooke director.

Other solutions exist – Water sponges infrastructure sherbrooke

The sponges options being difficult to achieve, the city rather puts on the principles of retention. For example, It has a hundred retention basins, including Mid-Vallon and Alfred-Élie-Dufresne parks which can act as such, said the director. Meanwhile, To this number are added some 1000 other pools, but of private property.

“Any construction. expansion project of a residential building of several dwellings, or commercial or industrial must provide for rainwater management measures,” explained Ms. Gravel.

The municipality water sponges infrastructure sherbrooke is also interested in the demineralization of its territory. either “put more plants, to remove asphalt as much as possible so that the water can be drained by the soil”, according to Catherine Boileau, vice-president of the Environment Commission. The latter had argued for the development of sponges infrastructure last fall following floods in the Beauvoir sector.

At the same time. for new developments and repairs, Sherbrooke has been shrinking since 2018 since 2018 the width of its streets to reduce the waterproof surface. The advantages would be multiple. “We have an economy in terms of runoff, we have an economy in the heat islands […]and we have an economy in terms of the speed practiced in the streets. because when it is narrower, people go slower, “said Ms. Gravel.

The engineering, waters and projects service is still trying to stay at the forefront water sponges infrastructure sherbrooke of technologies, assured Caroline Gravel.

Ms. Boileau and Ms. Gravel both attest that the case of the draining installations will be on the table during the next municipal mandate.

“The problem is at the source. not in the city”

“We cannot, with climate change, sufficiently grow the pipes [du système de canalisation] To capture waters. The problem is at the source and not in the city, “said the director.

Climate upheavals no longer allow the city to water sponges infrastructure sherbrooke design its plans according to a period of recurrence of floods for 25 years. as it has done for several years. “The rainy events that we have recently experienced. we are talking about that of May 17 or [l’ouragan] Debby Last year, these were events that greatly exceed the 25-year recurrence, she announced. There are even some who exceed 100 years. ”

“Climate change increases the amount of water and the water strength. Climate change also changes the periods. At the time, we had spring-autumn rain and a little in summer. Now we are returned that we can have heavy rains in winter when the floors are frozen. when they have zero absorption capacity. ”

— Caroline Gravel

Everyone must put their hands in the dough to hold back their waters, believes Ms. Gravel.

Some Montreal districts have already water sponges infrastructure sherbrooke prohibited the development of apartments in the basement and. according to the director, Sherbrooke will possibly have to ask the question too.

“In the case of the city of Sherbrooke, basement floods, we didn’t have that much, but we still have it. We will have to question ourselves as a city if we go so far. We are not returned like Montreal. In addition, we are not made on this magnitude, but it is still an option that we will have to assess in time, ”she said.