In the early morning of the 13^th of May, a DSI®/FHV depth infiltration installation was placed on the WaterStraat. DSI® is an innovative infiltration technique for the drainage of rainwater and return dewatering of ground water. This depth infiltration installation is connected to a previously placed Urban Rainshell innovation by Ecologisch Water Beheer (EWB). On behalf of geo-dataspecialist Fugro and start-up Ecologisch Water Beheer, a student will do research on the effect that the pre-purifying of water has on the working of DSI®/FHV.

The aim of DSI®/FHVI is to infiltrate rainwater in the ground. However, some potential consumers are hesitant to apply this technique. They worry that not all the metals, oils and other pollutants will be properly filtered, resulting in the rainwater not being fully purified before it enters the ground. A proper purification is therefore detrimental for DSI®/FHVI to function accordingly.

Research
Start-up Ecologisch Water Beheer (EWB) developed the Urban Rainshell, a concept which buffers rainwater in underground shell beds, where it’s filtered with mineral mixtures. The system not only removes dissolved pollutants (such as heavy metals and mineral oils) from the rain water, but also breaks down organic pollution. This system can be connected to the DSI®/FHVI technique and therefore seems like the perfect solution to the existing needs, as it prevents pollution of the source ánd monitors the ground water quality. A student will test and validate the combination of these two systems, on behalf of Fugro and Ecologisch Water Beheer. This research will take place at the WaterStraat and will take approximately six months, provided that the corona virus won’t cause any delays.