Metallic cages control floods and tackle river waste

The filter traps waste and helps prevent overflows, spillage, and flooding

Spotted: Tunisia is among the regions of the world most affected by drought and floods. As climate change leads to an increase in extreme weather events, the number of floods in the country is set to grow. Tunisian startup Wayout Ecological Solutions has come up with an innovative solution for mitigating some of the risks associated with flooding.

Wayout’s solution is Zigofiltre — a gridded metallic filter made to fit inside sewers. These filters let rainwater pass through easily but trap waste and mud, preventing them from blocking the underground pipes, which would otherwise lead to overflows, spillage, and flooding. The filters also streamline sewer maintenance, making it possible to clean and manage sewer systems 45 times quicker than traditional methods.

By reducing the need for frequent maintenance and mitigating flood damage, the Zigofiltre helps prolong the life of infrastructure and save money. The filters also protect ecosystems by preventing waste from running off into rivers and other bodies of water. To make adoption seamless, the filters have been designed to be easily integrated into existing systems with minimal effort.

Wayout was a winner of the 2022 Med’Innovant Africa prize, organised by Euroméditerannée. In addition to receiving an award of €7,000, the startup received technical support and communication activities to develop its solution. It was also recognised as a ‘Coup de Coeur’ at ChangeNOW 2024.

As flood risk grows, so do the number of innovations for managing this risk. Recent ideas include using community-sourced data to monitor and mitigate flooding and other climate risk, and low-cost sensors for real-time flood monitoring.

Written By: Lisa Magloff