Improving Urban Stormwater Quality - From Theory to Implementation

Conventional urban stormwater management has focused on providing highly efficient drainage systems to rapidly collect and remove stormwater runoff using a combination of underground pipes and linear “engineered” overland flow paths. The treatment of stormwater runoff can no longer be considered in isolation to the broader planning and design of the contributing urban area. Rather, stormwater management needs to be considered at all stages of the urban planning and design process to ensure the site planning, architecture, landscape architecture and engineering infrastructure is all provided in a manner that is sympathetic to the stormwater treatment system. The concept of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) is based on formulating development plans that incorporate multiple stormwater management objectives and involve a pro-active process which recognises the opportunities for urban design, landscape architecture and stormwater management infrastructure to be intrinsically linked. At the building design level, innovative means for recycling stormwater for non-potable usage can significantly reduce pressure placed on water resources development and drainage infrastructure by urban development. The concept of WSUD is generic and has now been expanded to apply at a catchment and regional level. The concept provides the basis for a holistic approach to stormwater management using techniques that are capable of delivering a wide range of beneficial outcomes at both the regional and local levels.WSUD is the integration of urban planning and utilisation of best practices to achieve the objectives of sustainable drainage systems for urban areas. Urban planning provides the pro-active element in the process to facilitate the utilisation of stormwater best management techniques. The selection of appropriate Best Management Practices (BMPs) to include within a treatment train involves an assessment made