Drainage Cells for Eco Management in Paco de Lucia Station, Spain

Proper management and efficient use of water is an increasingly important element for any new project being developed, especially in urbanisation projects, to ensure that town planning is carried out in the most sustainable and rational way possible.

In this sense, Ferrovial Construction’s aim in using drainage cell tanks in the park above the Paco de Lucía underground station (Madrid) was to enable the filtering of rainwater to the ground. This rainwater is first collected and channelled through the various drainage elements installed above ground.

Some of the environmental advantages of using drainage cells are:

• Reduction in timeframes and costs involved in channelling rainwater towards the regular sanitation network.
• Reduction in treatment costs, due to the lower volumes of water supplied.
• Reduced risk of flooding and overflowing.
• Provision of new water resources.
• Enhanced drainage of garden areas.
• Enhanced landscape integration.

Ultimately, the use of drainage cell tanks enables natural water aquifers to be replenished, and avoids the channelling of water to sanitation networks, with the subsequent cost savings derived from not having to treat the water.