Urban Water Management

1
Module 3 Exploring the options

SWITCH Training Kit Module 3B Sustainable
Stormwater Management An overview
2
The issues facing urban stormwater management
Inadequately designed and maintained
infrastructure
Increased urbanisation
Changing weather patterns due to climate change
Fragmented management structures
3
Links between stormwater management and other
areas of the water sector
Water supply
Water treatment
Wastewater management
Water quality
4
Links between stormwater management and other
sectors of urban management
Housing
Roads and transport
Solid waste
Parks and gardens
Land-use management
5
The conventional approach

• Combined sewers
• Concrete drainage culverts, channels and pipes
• Disposal of stormwater directly into rivers,
  lakes and coastal waters

6
Drawbacks of the conventional approach to
stormwater management

• Increased downstream flood risk
• Erosion and sedimentation
• Overflows in combined sewer systems
• Pollution of receiving water bodies
• Waste of a valuable resource

7
A more sustainable approach
8
A more sustainable approach (SUDS)
Options include

• Structural SUDS (such as swales, ponds, porous
  paving and green roofs)
• Non-structural SUDS (such as site planning,
  pesticide and fertiliser management, and public
  education and awareness raising campaigns)

9
A more sustainable approach (WSUD)

• The concept of Water Sensitive Urban Design
  (WSUD)
• Stormwater attenuation and retention
• River restoration
• Combining water infrastructure with landscape
  design
• Embedding water management into existing urban
  and regional planning
• Incorporating water recycling facilities into
  urban architecture

10
Benefits of sustainable urban drainage solutions
and WSUD

• Flood control
• Pollution control
• Protection against erosion
• Aquifer replenishment
• Alternative source of water
• Amenity value
• Climate change adaptation

11
Why the non-conventional approach is more
sustainable
Amenity value Reduced flood risk
Protection and enhancement of natural
habitats Reduced pressure on natural water supply
sources
Reduced treatment and pumping costs Reduced flood
risk
12
Structural SUDS
13
Non-structural SUDS
14
Acknowledgements
This presentation has been produced as part of
the SWITCH Training Kit by
Ralph Philip and Barbara Anton ICLEI Local
Governments for Sustainability based on the
joint efforts of the following SWITCH
partners Alison Duffy (University of Abertay),
B. Ellis (Middlesex University), Chris Jefferies
(University of Abertay), M. Revitt (Middlesex
University), L. Scholes (Middlesex University),
H. Sieker (Ingenieurgesellschaft Prof. Dr. Sieker
mbH), B. Shutes (Middlesex University), M.
Soutter (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
(EPFL), J. Eckart (HafenCity University,
Hamburg), W. Holste (Middlesex University), H.
Langenbach (HafenCity University, Hamburg), G
Schröder (HafenCity University, Hamburg), I.
Wagner (Technical University of Lodz) The
UNESCO-IHE led SWITCH project runs from Feb. 2006
to Jan. 2011 and is part-financed by Directorate
General Research of the European Commission under
the Sixth Framework Programme. For more
information see www.switchurbanwater.eu