Senator Manja Schreiner, agency boss Darla Nickel and Wasserbetriebe boss Christoph Donner test how quickly water seeps into different soils (from left) Photo: Hildburg Bruns
From Hildburg Bruns
Rain in Berlin: quite rare at the moment and then often as a downpour. So that less water ends up in the sewage system, Berlin is being converted into a sponge city.
For five years, the rainwater agency has been advising on sensible measures: infiltration, permeable surface coverings, rainwater use, green roofs and facades. The planned conversion of the town hall forum with the elevated paths is also a good example.
“We have to manage to rebuild the city – and relatively quickly so that we can keep the water here in the area,” said Christoph Donner (53), head of the water company. In the current year alone there have been 13 summer and two hot days with more than 30 degrees.
Darla Nickel, head of the Berlin Rainwater Agency, also wants to provide street trees with better water in the future by enlarging the unpaved tree grates or creating hollows between the street and the sidewalk to store water. You could also remove the covering from parking spaces near trees so that water can seep away.
Environment Senator Manja Schreiner (45, CDU) announced that there will be new neighborhoods where rainwater no longer flows into the sewage system.