In order to mitigate the effects of climate change, the Porto City Council is investing half a million euros in transforming Jardim Paulo Vallada into an example of integrated sustainable drainage solutions, cites ECO.

The municipality will create five small basins, including the football pitch that will be lowered, which will serve as water storage areas in extreme rain conditions.

According to the Executive, “this “sponge” effect will cause the water to lose strength, reducing the possibility of flooding along the way and the turbulence of the waters as they reach the Douro River, next to Avenida Gustavo Eiffel”.

Águas e Energia do Porto, a municipal company, is the entity responsible for the work of transforming this garden into a water retention area, which should be completed during the month of April this year. The existing equipment will also be renovated.

“This green space, which connects Avenida Fernão de Magalhães to Rua de Santos Pousada, hides, underground, the section of water responsible for the floods of January 2023 and which causes the so-called cascade effect, in the Fontainhas area, during times of heavy rain”, explains the municipality led by the independent Rui Moreira.

“The Poço das Patas stream has a basin of around 1.6 km2 and runs through several important streets in the parish of Bonfim, passing through this garden and Campo 24 de Agosto”, he explains.

This solution, included in the Water Lines Enhancement and Rehabilitation Plan (PVRLA), is being applied in other interventions in the city, namely in Parque da Asprela, at the Porto University campus.