Facing climate change and evolving rainfall patterns, stormwater management has become a major challenge. The SyAGE's new regulation prioritizes managing water as close as possible to where it falls, reaffirming its "zero discharge" ambition.
"Stormwater management can no longer be seen as a mere technical issue. It must be fully integrated into how we design and develop our territory. By promoting infiltration at the plot level, the Syndicate acts to limit flood risks, preserve water resources, and prepare our municipalities for the effects of climate change," emphasizes Romain Colas, president of SyAGE.
The principle is to allow rainwater to naturally infiltrate the soil, rather than systematically sending it into networks. SyAGE encourages solutions like landscape swales, rain gardens, permeable pavements, and green spaces. These developments can be integrated into all types of projects, public and private, reducing runoff and promoting water's return to the soil.
Beyond their benefits for the water cycle, these solutions also help green spaces, create cool islands, and promote biodiversity. A schoolyard, parking lot, or public square can thus become effective stormwater management areas.
"The new regulation clarifies the rules applicable to development operations and provides a common framework for the various stakeholders in the territory. It aims to integrate stormwater management from the initial stages of projects, taking into account the specificities of each plot," explains Didier Gonzales, vice-president of SyAGE in charge of stormwater management.
To support this evolution, SyAGE mobilizes its expertise and advises project leaders, with subsidy schemes to support the implementation of certain developments. The goal is to make rain a resource to be preserved and valued.
