en.Wedoany.com Reported - The city of Bucharest is constructing three large rainwater storage tanks in areas prone to heavy rainfall flooding, aiming to achieve the "sponge city" goal. The collected rainwater will be used to irrigate parks and trees.

The core of the project lies in addressing the challenge of large volumes of rainwater entering the city's sewer system. Due to the insufficient design capacity of the existing system to handle the flow from sudden heavy downpours, the storage tanks can collect rainwater and direct it to areas requiring irrigation, such as tree roots, parks, and flower beds.

Romania's capital has long faced a climate pattern alternating between drought and short-duration heavy rainfall. Municipal authorities believe that the sponge city concept of urban water management, which retains and reuses rainwater rather than discharging it as wastewater into the drainage network, is a viable solution to these challenges. The project requires significant funding, and the authorities are seeking various forms of support, including from EU funds.

Currently, of the three planned underground storage tanks, one with a capacity of 2,000 cubic meters has been completed; construction of the second tank, with a capacity of 4,200 cubic meters, has started and is expected to be completed within two years; a feasibility study is underway for the third tank, planned to be built beneath a parking lot. Additionally, authorities are exploring the possibility of constructing two more large storage tanks beneath two parks.