UMB Develops Smart Rain Garden for Water Conservation

Universitas Mercu Buana (UMB) has pioneered a "Smart Rain Garden" system designed to transform urban rainwater management and bolster water conservation efforts. This innovative technology aims to mitigate rainwater runoff while simultaneously providing a sustainable irrigation source for urban agriculture.

The initiative was implemented through a community service program in Pinang, Tangerang City, fostering collaboration between UMB, local climate action groups, women farmer groups, and the Tangerang City Environmental Agency. The project seeks to shift the prevailing urban approach, which typically focuses on draining rainwater through drainage systems, towards viewing rainwater as a vital resource.

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Through Smart Rain Garden, we want to change the public's perspective on rainwater. Rainwater is no longer seen as a cause of floods that must be immediately disposed of, but as a resource that can be stored, monitored, and reused to support water conservation and urban agriculture.

"Through Smart Rain Garden, we want to change the public's perspective on rainwater. Rainwater is no longer seen as a cause of floods that must be immediately disposed of, but as a resource that can be stored, monitored, and reused to support water conservation and urban agriculture," explained Uly Amrina, the head of the UMB service team.

The Smart Rain Garden integrates an underground water tank (GWT) with a network of pipes, pumps, water towers, soil moisture sensors, water level sensors, and a digital monitoring system. This setup allows previously discarded runoff to be repurposed for irrigating farmland managed by local women farmer groups. Beyond infrastructure development, the program emphasizes capacity building through workshops and training on system operation, maintenance, and water-saving cultivation practices, with dedicated teams ensuring the system's ongoing sustainability.

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We hope this Smart Rain Garden model can serve as an example of good practice that can be replicated in various urban residential areas. Collaboration between universities, local governments, and the community is key to building a more climate-resilient city.