It warns that green solutions are insufficient without formal hydraulic infrastructure and calls for prioritizing planned and sustained drainage systems to mitigate the effects of heavy rainfall
SANTO DOMINGO– The recurring floods in Greater Santo Domingo are not solely due to the loss of green areas or the waterproofing of the soil, but rather to a deeper structural problem linked to the absence of a comprehensive stormwater drainage system , explained architect Carolina Llobregat Ferre.
The specialist pointed out that, although urban hydrology recognizes that the expansion of impermeable surfaces increases runoff and reduces infiltration, this factor is more relevant in cities that already have established drainage networks. In the case of Greater Santo Domingo, she specified, the situation is different.
“The problem is not just waterproofing, but the lack or fragmentation of a metropolitan-scale stormwater drainage system,” he argued.
Llobregat explained to El Inmobiliario that the lack of hierarchical networks, primary, secondary and tertiary, limits the capacity to capture, conduct and properly dispose of rainwater, which aggravates the effects of heavy rains, regardless of the natural conditions of the territory.
In that context, he warned that nature-based solutions, such as Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) or the restoration of permeable soils, while necessary, are not sufficient on their own.
“These measures should complement a formal hydraulic infrastructure, not be a substitute,” he said, referring to their limited scope in the face of high rainfall intensity events.
The architect also emphasized that the problem has an institutional dimension. In her view, the lack of continuity in public policies has hindered the development of long-term plans, which are necessary for building efficient drainage systems.
He explained that hydraulic infrastructure projects require sustainability over time, something that contrasts with political cycles, which has led to the postponement of master plans and fragmented interventions.
The architect's vision coincides with that of urban planner Marcos Barinas, who referred to the excessive waterproofing and the little value that politicians assign to this problem, because it is not a project that has much visibility.
Finally, Llobregat insisted that effectively tackling urban flooding requires prioritizing a comprehensive stormwater drainage system, integrated with urban planning and supported by governance capable of ensuring its implementation and maintenance over time.
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