This action is intended to promote the infiltration of rainwater and the reduction of rainfall runoff, through the promotion of retention basins in green areas.

It also includes an important social dimension, because of the need to alert urban gardeners about good practices in water use.

This action is be supported by the Lisbon Drainage Master Plan (2016-2030), whose objectives have a close relationship with adaptation to climate change.

Expected sub-actions:

• Improvement of the retention basin at the lake in Bela Vista south

Currently, this 200 m2 retention basin has some weaknesses that compromise its performance and usefulness. This sub-action aims to improve the basin and renew the aquatic plants, contributing to a healthy habitat that can support aquatic biodiversity without compromising water saving and retention capacity.

• Installation of an area of ​​zero rainwater waste at LNEC

The Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC), located in the northern region of Lisbon, is a renowned organization in the field of water research, namely in the relationship between water and climate change.

With this sub-action it is expected to make an area of about 5000 m2 accessible to citizens, with zero rainwater waste. It will be a recreation and leisure area that uses natural-based solutions as a way to manage water on site, without wasting rainwater.

• Implementation of a pilot for water management in urban gardens and training of gardeners

This sub-action aims at reducing water consumption in urban gardens. The regulation of horticultural parks does not allow automatic irrigation systems, to promote human presence in the parks. Irrigation is therefore a 100% human process, and water consumption is high.

Thus, this sub-action involves the installation of individual water meters to make water consumption more conscious and sessions addressing issues of irrigation efficiency, soil organic matter, integrated soil conservation actions and plant selection. 

As a result of this sub-action guidelines on water consumption sustainability are developed, to be applied in other urban garden areas.