Vancouver Students Innovate Device to Combat Flooding Risks

Two high school students from Vancouver have developed a groundbreaking device aimed at preventing flooding caused by clogged catch basins. Sameer Assanie and Bobby Yang, both Grade 12 students at Stratford Hall, recently won $5,000 in prize money at the Youth Innovation Showcase for their invention, Airlume. This device alerts municipalities when catch basins become obstructed by debris, thereby preventing water from accumulating and potentially flooding nearby areas.

Catch basins, also referred to as storm drains, are critical infrastructure in urban areas. They play a vital role in allowing rainwater to drain efficiently. Unfortunately, when these basins get clogged with leaves and other waste, it can lead to significant water buildup and environmental contamination. The City of Vancouver currently relies on its “adopt a catch basin” program, which has approximately 40,000 catch basins, needing at least 30,000 of them adopted for effective maintenance.

The students’ journey began in October 2024, following a severe atmospheric river that resulted in extensive flooding in the region. Friends and family members of Assanie and Yang experienced flooded basements, which prompted them to explore solutions. “It caused lots of damage. And that’s really when we first noticed that this problem of drain grates being clogged,” Assanie remarked.

Recognizing their interest in technology, they decided to tackle the issue by leveraging their skills. They founded a tech club at their school, which provided a platform to brainstorm ideas and develop their concept. However, creating Airlume was not without challenges. The duo invested numerous hours after school and on weekends into their project, engaging with city officials to ensure their device could meet practical needs.

One significant hurdle was figuring out how to securely attach Airlume to the inside of a drain grate, as external installations could be vulnerable to vandalism. “It’s definitely taken a lot out of us,” Assanie noted, reflecting on the trial-and-error process that marked their development.

In addition to ensuring durability, they had to design the device to prevent water damage to its internal components. “Which kind of seems like it’s obvious, but it’s more difficult and more challenging to achieve,” Assanie added. The students also focused on keeping production costs low to make the solution viable for local governments.

With no similar devices on the market, Assanie and Yang had to identify suitable sensors and electronics for Airlume. They purchased a small drain grate online and conducted tests to ensure the sensors activated correctly when the basin became clogged.

Airlume operates using multiple sensors that detect blockages in real-time. The students envision a future where thousands of Airlume devices are installed throughout the city, providing live updates to municipal services. “On their interface, they would just see a map of, let’s say, red and green dots. And every red dot means a catch basin at risk, which they would be able to send out government workers or get volunteers to help unclog it,” Yang explained.

Looking ahead, Assanie and Yang plan to collaborate with the City of Delta to pilot their device on an operational catch basin. “And then just collect data from that, see what needs to be improved, see what failed in our design, and just improve on that,” Assanie stated. Their innovative approach not only showcases the potential of youth-led initiatives but also highlights the importance of proactive solutions to urban flooding challenges.