Chinese researchers analysed roughly 4.2 million cases of bacillary dysentery recorded between 2005 and 2020 to ask whether the sponge-city programme - wetlands, permeable pavements and green space designed to absorb and filter stormwater - delivers health benefits on top of flood protection. Using case-crossover and quasi-experimental methods, they found flooding sharply raises dysentery risk, especially for school-age children and older adults - but cities with sponge-city works saw flood-related disease risk fall, by up to 12.2% three years after implementation, with the biggest gains where existing infrastructure was weakest. Drainage, reframed as public health.
Nature Cities, Sept 8, 2026