In a lot of Dutch towns and cities new neighborhoods are designed to have a system of Wadi's [0] where rooftop rainwater is directed to instead of to the sewer

In a lot of Dutch towns and cities new neighborhoods are designed to have a system of Wadi's [0] where rooftop rainwater is directed to instead of to the sewer system. These are usually dry, but fill up when it rains. They provide attractive green spaces between the buildings and road network where plants, flowers and other fauna can thrive. Other cities, like Apeldoorn, are providing subsidies to decouple the rainwater drain from the sewer to let the water infiltrate in your own garden instead. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadi