Chapter 18 - The Role of WSUD in Contributing to Sustainable Urban Settings

Abstract

Water sensitive urban design (WSUD) is a concept widely accepted and partially acted on throughout Australia's federal and state governments. The concept, however, is currently applied at the local municipal level by linking with existing corridor and precinct structure plans, urban planning/legislative frameworks (e.g., Clause 56.07–04, Victoria), and service provisions (e.g., drainage guidelines). However, to realize WSUD outcomes at the applied municipal level, coordination and cooperation of developer, client, consultants, the local government and respective water authority is essential. Unfortunately, much of the planning and design-related WSUD material is focused on stormwater management. In terms of WSUD, management at the municipal level is a key term to reflect upon, as the handling and control of water is essential so that its design and use minimizes risk to built features and people. The other aspect to management, directing, has been largely relegated in WSUD to a service role, where harvested stormwater is used for maintenance-related issues such as greening roads and street verges, open space areas, and a city's landscape designs and features. To move away from this predominantly service role and into a more progressive application of WSUD, the human/water interaction may be better achieved through the merging of contemporary insights of sustainability with those of WSUD when realizing built outcomes.