Innovative and safe infiltration systems for parks and swales.
A swale is often used for the collection of rainwater and to give the environment a green appearance. With limited space, a swale is relatively deep. This can lead to unsafe situations and difficult maintenance. With Rockflow stone wool elements, a swale can be made shallower, without any loss of capacity or green appearance.
In the past, clean rainwater usually mixed with dirty waste water in the sewers. As a result, relatively clean rainwater was transported unnecessarily to a water treatment plant via pipes. Currently, systems that separate the rainwater from the sewer system are increasingly being considered. Allowing the rainwater to infiltrate into the ground not only prevents the waste of relatively clean water and overloading of the sewer, but it is also good for the groundwater level.
Allowing water to infiltrate instead of discharging it into the sewer system is possible using a swale: a ditch or trench with a water-permeable bottom. Nevertheless, a traditional swale appears not always to work in practice as might be expected from its construction.
Are you interested in Rockflow's capabilities? In our brochure, you can read where Rockflow stone wool can be used and how the system works.
If a swale functions properly, it is an excellent way of enhancing water awareness in a residential area. But does a swale not work properly? For example because the subsoil appears to be less permeable than anticipated? Or because over time a layer of sludge forms due to decaying plants? In this case, the infiltration capacity reduces, which can create difficult problems, such as mosquito nuisance and odours for residents as a consequence of decaying plants. In addition, there is always the risk that a non-functioning swale attracts litter. Furthermore, a swale in which water remains, constitutes a hazard for playing children and animals, especially in a residential area.
A traditional swale usually consists of a layer of soil with plants. The swale collects the rainwater and slowly releases it into the ground. But because the space is often limited, a swale must be relatively deep in order to be able to collect sufficient rainwater. As a result, the sides of the trench are often steep and a special verge mower is required to maintain the swale. Without this essential maintenance, the swale loses its functionality.
Rockflow has developed its innovative infiltration system, made up of stone wool elements, which provides a solution. The stone wool elements absorb the water and return it in a metered way to the ground. This application can be installed beneath the layer of earth and plants, which creates more space for the collection of water. Thanks to the stone wool elements, a swale containing Rockflow stone wool is also shallower than the traditional variant. This makes construction and maintenance somewhat easier: because the slope of the swale with the application of of Rockflow is less steep, the swale can be maintained with a ride-on mower.
Upgrading a swale with the Rockflow applications creates new opportunities. A swale is therefore not only simpler to maintain, but also increases the buffer capacity and increases the usage potential of that piece of land for residents. A swale equipped with Rockflow is flat and load-bearing, whilst the life of the water buffer function can be measured in years. This provides the opportunity to integrate the swale, for example as part of a park or green strip. Even existing swales, with problems with maintenance, can be reconfigured using this innovative infiltration system. Rockflow creates new opportunities for the collection of excessive rainwater in residential areas.
Nowadays, a great deal of attention is being paid to storing water in the environment. Smart water management can contribute to a healthy groundwater level. But in residential areas, the space for the collection of water is often restricted, so a swale has to be relatively deep in order to function properly.
The system from Rockflow is applied under roads, streets, squares, parks, swales and industrial estates. Read more about the application by area here.
Business Manager,
Urban climate adaptation
