Yeongdeungpo-gu Resolves Road Water Pooling with Eco-friendly and Smart Integrated Technology

Nation's First Eco-Friendly Drainage Technology Patent Registered to Solve Road Water Pooling... Selected as 2021 Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Excellent Resident Life Innovation Project Leading Institution... Promoting Nationwide Expansion Through Method Sharing, Projects Underway in 11 Local Governments

Before (left) and after (right) the installation of drainage facilities at the crosswalk in front of Korea Securities Finance in Yeouido, showing water accumulation and its resolution.

Road Water Accumulation Drainage Installation Process

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Chae Hyun-il) is leading the perfect resolution of road water pooling issues during the rainy season across the country with an innovative technology developed and patented by the district.

In June last year, the district developed a drainage device and a new construction method to eliminate road water pooling for the first time nationwide, filed a patent application with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and completed the final patent registration in March this year, demonstrating its commitment to improving road environments free of water pooling.

The road water pooling drainage facility first developed in Yeongdeungpo-gu consists of two types: the “Integrated Connection Method with Main Sewer” which installs an integrated connecting pipe underground along the roadside where water pooling occurs, linking directly to the central sewer pipe and filling it with eco-friendly permeable aggregates, and the “Integrated Connection Method with Rainwater Inlet” which connects to nearby rainwater inlets, both boasting high drainage efficiency.

The water pooling drainage device has the advantage of fundamentally solving environmental problems such as pedestrian inconvenience and water splashing damage caused by poor drainage during rainfall, as well as odors and insect infestations.

Additionally, it allows same-day excavation, construction, and restoration, drastically reducing construction time and achieving approximately 76% cost savings compared to conventional construction expenses.

Furthermore, smart sensors are installed at various inflow facilities such as rainwater inlets to enable real-time monitoring of drainage degradation and device operation during the rainy season, allowing for continuous management.

Since a pilot installation of the water pooling drainage device at the crosswalk in front of 30-2, Yeouido-dong, Samboo Apartment in May last year, the drainage technology has been applied throughout the district to prevent damage caused by roadside water pooling.

The district has also worked hard to promote this excellent case nationwide, including to Seoul City and other local governments.

After the effectiveness of the drainage facility was proven, the device’s principles and construction methods were actively shared with other local governments, resulting in active installation of water pooling devices in 11 local governments nationwide, including Gwangju, Daejeon, and Incheon Metropolitan Cities.

After being awarded the Best Innovation Award in Seoul City’s policy innovation last year and recognized as an excellent case of government innovation by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Yeongdeungpo-gu was again acknowledged this year by being selected as a leading institution for national funding support in the Ministry’s Resident Life Innovation Excellent Project (Proactive Administration).

Going forward, the district plans to continuously install drainage devices in habitual water pooling areas, as well as focus on international patent applications and nationwide promotion and dissemination of excellent cases through working groups.

It also plans to explore and develop the use of smart sensing technology in various disaster safety fields, including flood and water damage, aiming to establish a system that prevents safety accidents in advance.

Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, stated, “The ‘road water pooling drainage device,’ devised through the dedicated research and efforts of our staff, being utilized by many local governments nationwide, proves the device’s effectiveness and the excellence of our district’s employees on a national scale. We will continue to do our best to create a safe and pleasant road environment free of water pooling and odors.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.