Barcelona to build first rainwater deposit in fifteen years
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Barcelona, Spain will begin construction on a new underground rainwater deposit in 2028, the first such project in fifteen years.
The city already maintains fifteen rainwater deposits that collect runoff to prevent street flooding and ease strain on the sewer system. These existing structures currently hold a combined 447,000 cubic meters of water. Recent heavy rains in Catalonia tested Barcelona’s infrastructure, and city officials noted the city fared better than surrounding towns like L'Hospitalet and Sitges, avoiding widespread street flooding.
Laia Bonet, First Deputy Mayor, stated the current deposits “allowed the city to withstand” recent storms. The city plans to build four additional deposits in the Prim, Sagrera, Vallcarca, and Bac de Roda neighbourhoods, and has already secured land for twenty-nine more. These projects will increase Barcelona’s rainwater retention capacity by over one million cubic meters. The municipal government has invested 200 million euros in these infrastructure projects, and estimates repairing damage from recent storms will cost 26 million euros.
These underground deposits work by collecting water from the city’s drainage system during heavy rainfall, preventing overflow and sending cleaner water to the sea.
