‘The danger and value of water are in my blood’: how rain fences are making Dutch homes more climate resilient

Housing corporations are adopting rainwater storage in garden fences, reducing pressure during downpours and preserving water for times of drought Good fences make good neighbours – but rain fences could make even better ones. That is the hope of housing corporations in the Netherlands, which are adopting rainwater storage in their garden fences. In a tidy neighbourhood in Veldhoven, where the social housing provider, Woonstichting ’thuis, is installing its first such rain fence, one couple, Theo and Willy Bolder, are already seeing an increase in their popularity. “People are all coming round to ask what it costs,” said Willy Bolder. Outside, between rattan fence panels, a series of plastic blocks have been linked to the drainage from their roof. Together, they will store up to 2,160 litres of water – reducing pressure on the drains during downpours and preserving rainwater for the garden in times of drought. “The rain is getting heavier and heavier nowadays, and if you have a cloudburst the drainage isn’t good and it comes up through the toilet,” she said. “There’s a lot of paving, so the water can’t escape.” Theo added that the hotter summers were threate