Utilising integrated urban water management to assess the viability of decentralised water solutions

2012 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stewart Burn ◽  
Shiroma Maheepala ◽  
Ashok Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Water System ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Management ◽  
City Development ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Integrated Urban Water Management ◽  
Decentralised Systems

Cities worldwide are challenged by a number of urban water issues associated with climate change, population growth and the associated water scarcity, wastewater flows and stormwater run-off. To address these problems decentralised solutions are increasingly being considered by water authorities, and integrated urban water management (IUWM) has emerged as a potential solution to most of these urban water challenges, and as the key to providing solutions incorporating decentralised concepts at a city wide scale. To incorporate decentralised options, there is a need to understand their performance and their impact on a city's total water cycle under alternative water and land management options. This includes changes to flow, nutrient and sediment regimes, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and the impacts on rivers, aquifers and estuaries. Application of the IUWM approach to large cities demands revisiting the fundamental role of water system design in sustainable city development. This paper uses the extended urban metabolism model (EUMM) to expand a logical definition for the aims of IUWM, and discusses the role of decentralised systems in IUWM and how IUWM principles can be incorporated into urban water planning.

Multicriteria Decision Support for Selection of Alternatives Directed to Integrated Urban Water Management

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (13) ◽  
pp. 4253-4269 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Matheus Bezerra dos Santos Amorim ◽  
Saulo de Tarso Marques Bezerra ◽  
Maísa Mendonça Silva ◽  
Lyanne Cibely Oliveira de Sousa
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Decision Support ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Management ◽  
Multicriteria Decision ◽  
Integrated Urban Water Management ◽  
Multicriteria Decision Support ◽  
Selection Of

The role of membrane technology in sustainable decentralized wastewater systems

2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (10) ◽  
pp. 317-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.G. Fane ◽  
S.A. Fane
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Wastewater Reuse ◽  
Membrane Technology ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Management ◽  
Decentralized Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Sustainable Urban Water Management

Decentralized wastewater treatment has the potential to provide sanitation that meets criteria for sustainable urban water management in a manner that is less resource intensive and more cost effective than centralized approaches. It can facilitate water reuse and nutrient recovery and can potentially reduce the ecological risks of wastewater system failure and the community health risk in a wastewater reuse scheme. This paper examines the potential role of membrane technology in sustainable decentralized sanitation. It is argued that the combination of membrane technology within decentralized systems can satisfy many of the criteria for sustainable urban water management. In particular, the role of membranes as a dependable barrier in the wastewater treatment process can increase system reliability as well as lowering the latent risks due to wastewater reuse. The modular nature of membranes will allow plant size to range from single dwellings, through clusters to suburb size. It is concluded that realization of the potential for membrane-based technologies in decentralized wastewater treatment will require some progress both technically and institutionally. The areas where advances are necessary are outlined.

A water efficiency rating system for land developments implementing integrated urban water management

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Hunt ◽  
M. Anda ◽  
K. Mathew ◽  
G. Ho
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Capital Investment ◽  
Land Development ◽  
Rating System ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Water Efficiency ◽  
Urban Water Management ◽  
Financial Reward ◽  
Integrated Urban Water Management

Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM) in land developments is becoming increasingly necessary in order to more efficiently utilise and manage water resources. Techniques including the control of stormwater runoff, increasing infiltration and providing opportunities for retention, treatment and reuse of both stormwater and wastewater, are well suited to being designed into the development rather than considered post-construction or not at all. There can be extensive capital investment by developers to implement IUWM which is often not returned in the land sales. This produces a disincentive for the developer unless the contribution is recognised and rewarded either financially or with appropriate marketing advantage. A system to rate land developments based upon IUWM has been developed that would quantifiably assess how effectively water resources would be utilised in a proposed land development. This assessment would provide a point of comparison between developments allowing property purchasers, developers, utilities and legislators to quickly compare how well the development performs in terms of IUWM, providing a mechanism for financial reward or recognition. This paper discusses the development of a model to quantifiably assess land developments for water efficient use and introduces a rating system with which land developments can be compared in terms of IUWM.

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