Maceió, April 5, 2019 - Braskem has already elaborated a surface drainage project to be implemented in the district of Pinheiro, in Maceió. The measure was proposed by the company and is provided for in the working plan of the Technical Cooperation Agreement signed with public bodies. The objective is to unburden the already existing drainage system and mitigate the impact of rainfall peaks in buildings, streets and avenues of the district. Pinheiro has been registering cracks since March last year, when Alagoas registered an earth tremor with 2.5 points on the Richter Scale. 
 
Studies point out that the existing drainage system in the district has the capacity to absorb approximately 25% of the rainwaters. With the implementation of the surface system, parallel to the one already installed, the expectation is to increase the capacity to at least 50%. "There is a basin, a lower region in the middle of Pinheiro. When it rains, all the water goes to that region and the drainage system does not have the required outflow", declares the technical body of Braskem.
 
The measure is part of the short term mitigating actions presented by Braskem in a partnership with the public agencies aiming to contribute with solutions for the district. As part of its commitment to a responsible corporate operation, Braskem elaborated a plan with technical recommendations and incorporated this particular suggestion to the Technical Cooperation Agreement. 
 
How it works

To reduce the overweight in the existing system, Braskem proposed the creation of a parallel system, with 70 cm-thick robust concrete pipes installed at a depth of approximately 50 cm. The proximity to the surface and non-destructive installation methods allow the work to be executed faster. The concrete pipes will direct the water to lifting stations or accumulation lagoons, which work as a kind of water reservoirs and accumulators. In case of intense rainfall, these stations or lagoons reserve the water for a longer period and then gradually release the water into the already existing drainage system.