Quito builds underground storm drains to combat floods

Quito is undertaking a significant infrastructure project, constructing large pluvial relief collectors beneath its streets to bolster the city's drainage system. The initiative aims to mitigate flood risks and protect neighborhoods from increasingly intense rainfall, addressing a long-standing need in the capital.

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These works respond to a historical need of the capital and are part of a strategy to improve basic infrastructure.

Mayor Pabel Muñoz stated that these works are a response to a historical deficit in essential services like water, sanitation, and pluvial drainage, which have not kept pace with Quito's urban expansion. The current administration has prioritized these investments, executing projects that had been pending for years. A notable aspect of this effort is that much of the construction occurs underground, often unnoticed by residents.

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For years, Quito's growth surpassed the development of essential services such as drinking water, sanitation, and pluvial drainage.

Teams from the Metropolitan Public Company of Water and Sanitation are working on various sites, including Avenida De los Granados, where a major relief collector is being built. These collectors are designed to separate rainwater from wastewater, ensuring the sewage system operates more efficiently during the rainy season and reducing the likelihood of urban flooding. The projects also offer additional benefits, such as protecting homes, preserving road infrastructure, and improving the environmental quality of rivers.

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The pluvial relief collectors serve the function of separating rainwater from wastewater. This infrastructure allows the sewage system to operate more efficiently during the winter season and contributes to reducing floods.

Several key projects are underway, including the Eloy Alfaro collector with a $4.6 million investment to boost drainage in the north, and the La Granados collector, costing approximately $3.4 million, to enhance rainwater evacuation in a developed area. The Jorge Piedra collector in Cochapamba involves an investment of around $1.7 million to improve hydraulic capacity in the northwest, and an expansion of the El Tejado ravine requires nearly $4.45 million to channel rainwater into the system. Muñoz highlighted visible results, noting that areas like La Gasca and La Comuna de Santa Clara, historically prone to flooding, have experienced no significant inundations or mudslides this year due to the improved infrastructure.

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Sectors historically affected by rains, such as La Gasca and La Comuna de Santa Clara, have not registered significant floods or mudslides like in previous years.