Frame of reference for managing rain water at its source in the metropolis

The frame of reference for rainwater management at its source in the Greater Paris metropolis -La Métropole du Grand Paris- is being applied in the context of reflection on swimming in the Seine and Marne rivers by 2024 and more specifically of the steering committee for “Water quality and swimming objective planned for the Olympic and Paralympic Games” which is led by the Île-de-France Region Prefect and the Mayor of Paris.

© IstockPhoto.com / Kaizermodo

As part of Apur’s 2017-2019 partnership programme, this referential has been drawn up in close coordination with the two work groups: “Management of rain water” (led by the the water directorate -Direction de l’Eau du CD 93-) and  “Prioritizing waste” (led by the water purification company SIAAP).

The frame of reference is made up of 3 notebooks, the first questions the reasons why rainwater should be managed at its source, the second the ways of managing this water and the third looks at the key players in the integrated management of rain water.   

Book 1 (Why manage rain water at its source?) focuses on the big issues specific to the context of a changing metropolis. The reasons for a paradigm shift in rain water management at its source are examined, based on a number of criteria and expectations concerning urban practices (swimming, cool air islands), the management of a technical legacy (sanitation networks, disconnection from the main water network and rendering impermeable ground surfaces porous), the preservation and creation of the urban environment (ecology, quality of living conditions), the economising and improvement of water resources.

Book 2 (How to manage rain water at its source?) presents the different ways of managing rain water locally and both the principal drawbacks and levers met whether they be linked to the urban fabric, to public and private spaces, to new development projects or to urban renewal. The ways of disconnecting rain water are also dealt with in terms of volume, storage and infiltration, ground permeability, pollution and de-pollution. These subjects are treated as main themes and types of action and are based on a large quantity of feedback on experiments and past experiences.

Book 3 (Key players and feedback on experience) is based on four workshops devoted to developers and large urban projects, major land owners and the management of heritage, key public players and the inclusion of public policies in regulatory documents and finally private key players.

The diversity of feedback on experiences bears witness to a change of attitude and approach throughout the chain of key players, with particular attention being given to the management of light rainfall as an opportunity for reducing the volumes of water wasted and rethinking the city’s relationship to water. 

A number of additional inserts give key players involved in water management and sanitation the opportunity to express themselves (towns, local councils at the departmental level, the eastern suburbs Grand Paris Grand Est (EPT), syndicates…).

Interview with Frédéric Bertrand, architect and urban planner at the Atelier parisien d’urbanisme (Apur) :

Resources

Documents to download

  • Study

    Frame of reference for managing rain water at its source in the metropolis - Why manage rain water at its source? Book 1

    Format : pdf, 27.83 MB
    Download
  • Study

    Frame of reference for managing rain water at its source in the metropolis - How to manage rain water at its source? Book 2

    Format : pdf, 29.43 MB
    Download
  • Study

    Frame of reference for managing rain water at its source in the metropolis - How to manage rain water at its source? Book 3 | Key players and feedback on experience

    Format : pdf, 19.71 MB
    Download

To go further