Getting control over stormwater emissions
Smart & Clean Stormwater Quality Management
The solutions developed in the project reduce the amount of emissions, such as microplastics, heavy metals and nutrients, that stormwaters carry to bodies of water and the rest of the environment. Four cities are developing and testing new natural stormwater purification methods. The world’s first testbed for stormwater solutions will be created in Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo and Lahti.
“The stormwater of built areas, that is, rain and snowmelt, transport with them various harmful substances to water bodies, from cigarette butts to heavy metals. It’s therefore important to manage the quality of stormwater, not just direct water flows. As cities grow and climate change increases rainfall, the problems related to stormwater will increase.”
– Juhani Järveläinen, project coordinator
What is it all about
Stormwater management can significantly reduce the amount of emissions and harmful substances ending up in water bodies, such as heavy metals or micro plastics. The solutions also help recover nutrients.
High-quality management of stormwaters improves the functionality of urban environments, by, for example, reducing the adverse effects of storms and floods on urban citizens.
There are significant growth opportunities for stormwater management business both in Finland and abroad, as urbanisation accelerates and the need for solving the stormwater challenges of old cities increases.
Unique commercial-sized solutions for stormwater quality management are created as a result of cross-sectoral cooperation.
Four Smart & Clean cities develop stormwater quality management solutions in collaboration with each other and use the testbed and share its results with companies and universities.
The S&C Stormwater Quality Management project is developing new means for purifying and improving the quality of urban run-off water. Microplastics and nutrients, for example, will be removed from stormwater, which advances circular economy and reduces the amount of emissions flowing into water bodies and rest of the environment.
The project tests stromwater purification and management methods on seven test beds. The trial targets include, among other things, developing an underground wetland for an airport runaway, as well as testing biofiltering depressions, a filtration chest and various delay structures.
There are four cities, a number of companies and researchers involved. The companies provide solutions for the project, while universities analyse and develop methods and evaluate their effectiveness and functionality. The collaboration creates a unique reference area for intelligent stormwater solutions. The information produced will be openly shared for further use. Also export opportunities for stormwater management solutions are explored with the companies involved.
The Stormwater Quality Management project is led by the City of Lahti and the project partners are the cities of Espoo, Helsinki and Vantaa, Finavia Oyj, the Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority HSY, Aalto University and Helsinki University. Other project stakeholders include the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Sensmet Oy, Bluet Oy, Masinotek, WSP Finland Oy, Sitowise Oy, Ramboll Oy, Ruskon Betoni Oy, Rudus Oy, LECA Finland Oy and Rakennusbetoni ja -elementti Oy. The survey and promotion of export opportunities of stormwater solutions involves also the Finnish Water Forum, Solved, Pöyry Finland and a larger group of companies and other stakeholders.
Where are we going
The Stormwater Quality Management project was launched in January 2018 and its implementation lasts 14 months. The project is a Smart & Clean change project in accordance with the Helsinki Metropolitan growth agreement. It receives AIKO funding awarded by the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council for launching of regional innovations and pilots.
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