Neighborhood flooding was reduced without entry/drainage pipes, geofabric, heavy machinery, or deep excavation
Number of Marino Cells: 110
Stormwater Capacity: 1,490 gallons (5.6 cubic meters)
Installation Date: July 2026
Engineer: EPCOR
Contractor: Cutting Edge Landscaping
In Edmonton’s Twin Brooks and Wild Rose neighborhoods, 110 Marino Cells were installed along both sides of an existing pedestrian walkway connecting a residential cul-de-sac with a nearby park. The project adds underground stormwater storage within a narrow, already developed corridor that had been experiencing localized flooding.
Spearheaded by EPCOR, the system was designed for simplicity both during construction and in long-term operation. The independent cells were installed by hand within shallow trenches, while runoff now enters naturally through the landscaped surface, is stored temporarily below ground, and gradually infiltrates into the surrounding soil.
Introducing new stormwater infrastructure into an established neighborhood can be difficult. The Twin Brooks and Wild Rose site offered limited access for heavy equipment, while the existing sidewalk, fences, lawns, mature vegetation, and adjacent residential properties left little room for a conventional underground tank. Installing a larger or deeper system could have required significantly more excavation and disruption to a well-used connection between the neighborhood and park.
Marino Cell offered a more targeted approach. A single-width row of cells was installed along each side of the sidewalk, fitting within narrow strips of available landscape while leaving the path and surrounding features intact. Because the system is modular, its layout could follow the geometry of the site rather than being forced into a large rectangular footprint. And where one row of cells needed to shift direction, two short pipe connections maintained continuity between sections.
The installation began with trenches excavated approximately three to four feet deep along the edges of the existing walkway. A clean stone base was placed and leveled without the intensive preparation required by many larger underground systems. The Marino Cells could then be carried into the site and positioned manually, eliminating the need to bring heavy placement machinery into the constrained corridor.
Once the base was prepared, each side went from pallet to trench in approximately 90 minutes. No geotextile wrap was required around the system, reducing the number of materials, installation steps, and potential construction complications.
The completed system is equally uncomplicated. There is no dedicated inlet pipe and no outlet or underdrain. Rainwater filters through the grass and soil above, enters the cells, and is held temporarily within the underground storage area. It then moves gradually into the surrounding soil, reducing the amount of runoff immediately entering the sewer system.
As an EPCOR-led project, the installation represents more than a localized drainage improvement. EPCOR engineers were present on site to observe the construction process, including the manual placement of the cells and the speed with which the narrow storage runs were assembled.
The project provides a practical example of how distributed stormwater infrastructure can be introduced into established Edmonton neighborhoods without requiring major reconstruction. Its compact footprint, shallow excavation, and uncomplicated operation may offer a useful model for other constrained sites where additional stormwater capacity is needed but space and access are limited.
Before the project, the area had experienced localized flooding as stormwater accumulated within the developed neighborhood. The Marino Cell system now intercepts a portion of that runoff, holds it temporarily, and allows it to infiltrate more slowly into the surrounding ground. By keeping water on site longer, the system helps reduce peak pressure on the sewer network and lowers the potential for water to collect at the surface.
All of this functionality is concealed beneath an ordinary grassy landscape beside the walkway. The pedestrian connection, fences, lawns, and neighboring properties remain in place, while the narrow ground beneath the surface now performs a valuable stormwater role. What was previously an overlooked strip of land has become part of the neighborhood’s ecological infrastructure — without changing how residents experience or use the space above.
Urban Infill Flexibility
Marino Cell was able to be installed within a tight urban corridor without disruption to any of the surrounding area, including the adjacent sidewalk.
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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