Water Sensitive Urban Design Approach Research Articles

Water sensitive urban design approach for flood prone area (Study case: Kauman Riverfront Area, Semarang)

Kauman Semarang Riverfront Area is the center of the trade and services area in Semarang, especially for traditional trade. This area is located between three ethnic villages and is adjacent to Kali Semarang, a river that has an important meaning and historical value for the city’s development. Kauman Area is located in Central Semarang District, Semarang City, and is within a 1 km radius of the Semarang Old Town, a tourist attraction in the cultural heritage field, which is known as the priority of socio-cultural development on the city and province scale. However, with this type of potential, Kauman Riverfront Area has a medium-high flooding threat. In 2021, the number of flood incidents was the highest within five years (88 incidents). This study aims to examine the WSUD approach for the study area that focuses on the urban water system to decrease flooding risk and its correlation with urban design elements. The chosen method for this research is a fragmental method that consists of four steps, which begin with collecting data until producing the WSUD component approach, which is likely to be implied. The results show that the WSUD components and water system for Kauman Riverfront Area to increase the stormwater infiltration and storage.

Reviewing Historic Urban Water Transitions to Advance Water-Sensitive Urban Design for Bhuj, India

In rapidly growing urban contexts, water plays a pivotal role in the transitions the urban environment goes through to sustain the quality of life of its population. Spatial planning and design are essential for the facilitation and manifestation of such transitions. Focusing on Bhuj, a rapidly growing Indian city in a hot arid desert climate, its crucial yet changing sensitivity to urban water flows over time is assessed. The concept of water sensitivity is coined as a goal to pursue by the Water-Sensitive Urban Design approach. In India, however, much of the urban design and development processes are of an unplanned and informal nature, seemingly inhibiting the water sensitivity of urban transitions. Reviewing spatial planning paradigms and their manifestation in space in Bhuj over time, however, brings to light a pre-existing water sensitivity. Yet it also shows a shift from the supply security-oriented ingenious watershed expansion to catastrophe-steered and urban expansion-driven water system negligence. Review and discussion of past and present urban water transitions and management points out drivers, barriers, and their interrelationships, to enable and advance water-sensitive urban development tied to local history, traditional knowledge, and context specificities.

Impacts of Extreme Rainfalls on Sewer Overflows and WSUD-Based Mitigation Strategies: A Review

Extreme rainfall events cause an increase in the flow into aging sewer networks, which can lead to Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs). This literature review presents a complete assessment of the application of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) approaches as mitigation strategies for reducing rainfall-induced SSOs. The review highlights the various WSUD techniques identified in past studies for reducing sewer overflows. In these studies, it was identified that permeable pavements, green roofs, raingardens/bio-retention cells and rainwater tanks were the most popular WSUD strategies that have been extensively used in the past for the mitigation of sewer overflows. WSUD or “green” approaches also have enormous environmental, social and economic benefits when compared to the conventional “gray” approaches for sewer overflow mitigation. However, there have been limited studies conducted in the past that highlight and quantify the benefits of WSUD approaches for sewer overflow mitigation, particularly when such strategies are applied at a large scale (e.g., city scale). This review has identified the modelling software, SWMM, to be the most widely applied tool that has been used in the literature for WSUD modelling. It was also identified that with climate change-induced extreme rainfall events on the increase, WSUD-based “green” strategies alone may not be enough for the mitigation of sewer overflows. A suitable sewer overflow mitigation strategy could be green or a hybrid green-gray strategy, which would need to be identified based on a detailed context specific analysis.

Water sensitive urban design (WSUD) approach for mitigating groundwater depletion in urban geography; through the lens of stakeholder and social network analysis

Abstract In some respects, human communities have been sustainably adapted to live in urban areas, but sustainable coexistence with the water cycle has not been fully achieved. In this paper, to mitigate urbanizations' adverse effects, the water sensitive urban design (WSUD) approach, for the first time, is studied through the lens of social considerations. Stakeholder analysis and social network analysis concepts are considered to scrutinize the WSUD approach's role in an urban multi-stakeholder area. Detecting the changing of the stakeholders' powers and interests in an urban area using stakeholder analysis and enlightening the conflicting relationships between the stakeholders using social network analysis, the role of the WSUD approach is emphasized as a dispute resolution method. The western part of Tehran city is considered a case study. WSUD tools are considered using a physical-behavioral simulation model. The results indicate conflicts between developing and protecting stakeholders, requiring the WSUD approach.

A simplified procedure to improve the usability of hydrodynamic modelling software in regenerative urban design

Densely urbanized areas are greatly exposed to the risks from climate change as reported by IPCC in 2018. In particular, compact urban settings afflicted by heavy storms and droughts, coupled with the intensification of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect and incremental heat waves require a requalification of the outdoor environment that accommodates for both strategic water management and enhanced microclimatic conditions. The present study proposes simplified procedures to enable the application of complex hydrodynamic modelling software (SWMM), by non-expert users (such as planners and designers), in the preliminary phases of an urban space project according to a water-sensitive urban design approach. In the paper, Italian multi-level regulations aimed at controlling the impacts of excessive rainfall in urban areas are taken into account as well as the integration of circular water management systems with evaporative cooling strategies. The proposed procedure is focused on two aspects: 1- to simplify the steps needed to convert the existing climatic data to provide a numerical sequence, to insert into the software; 2- to define a set of pre-compiled and multi-purposed solutions toolkits for the design of urban spaces that can be imported into the software through an external database.

Challenges of Water Sensitive Cities in Mexico: The Case of the Metropolitan Area of Guadalajara

Mexico is currently facing important water management challenges. Cities in the country are facing water scarcity and at the same time they struggle with floods during the raining season. The water sensitive urban design (WSUD) approach has proved to be helpful around the world in tackling urban water challenges such as floods or water scarcity. The WSUD approach highlights the role of both the water cycle and the water utilities systems, when transitioning towards a water sensitive stage. Therefore, the objective of this research is to demonstrate the relevance for cities of a WSUD approach by analyzing the current situation of the water cycle and the water utility in the Metropolitan Area of Guadalajara (MAG). This research proposes a case study approach. Within our case of study, we focused on the water cycle and the water utilities system (Sistema Intermunicipal de los Servicios de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado (SIAPA)) and ask two questions: (1) What are the causes of water scarcity and flooding in the MAG? and (2) What are the proposals to solve these problems under a WSUD approach? By answering these questions, we identified that the water management in the MAG corresponds to a single purpose infrastructure. This type of water management is common in developing cities and does not contribute to solve the problems of water scarcity and floods. The water supply policy is based only on the construction of large dams disregarding the storage and use of rainwater, and reuse of greywater, and water-conservation devices. In order to transition towards a water sensitive stage, changes in the water policy need to take place and a WSUD approach that includes multi-purpose infrastructure, should be considered.

The Vulnerability of Nairobi to the Effects of Climate Change Between 1984 and 2016

Urban areas are exposed to compounded effects of climate change emanating from the confluence of a globally changing climate and the unique characteristics of urban climate. The unique urban climate is brought about by land cover patterns and the interaction between urban surfaces and weather elements. Among the recorded effects of this include the Urban Heat Island, increased surface runoff and altered wind flow patterns. Nairobi city has continued to experience these effects and it is projected that they may worsen under the changing climate. This study sought to establish the physical characteristics that make Nairobi City vulnerable to the climate change effects of flooding, to recommend adaptation measures. Nairobi City County watershed was the research situs. A descriptive research design was used to model runoff over two distinct periods of 1984 and 2016 using the Curve Number Method. The results pointed to a 162% increase in urban sprawl and a 45% increase in average rainfall for the corresponding period. The surface sealing from urban sprawl and the increasing surface runoff expose the city to a higher flooding risk. At the same time, the ecological services of green systems within urban areas are diminishing due to fragmentation of the green networks. It is recommended that urban development adopt a paradigm shift towards the use of green infrastructures like greenways, small urban green spaces and green roofs alongside water sensitive urban design approaches to adapt urban areas to the effects of climate change.

Ecosystem-based climate change adaptation for Essenvelt, Middelburg, The Netherlands

Climate change is an internationally recognised phenomenon generally held accountable for the increasing magnitude of extremes in both climatic events and temperature. With increasing urbanization and the concentration of socio-economic activities in urban areas, the challenge to contend with climate change is particularly pertinent in cities. In response to climate-change impacts, a range of climateadaptation strategies have been developed to make cities increasingly ‘climate proof’. A qualitative research approach is employed to review climate change, its impacts and some adaptation strategies, focusing on ecosystem-based adaptation strategies from Belgium and The Netherlands and Water-Sensitive Urban Design approaches developed in Australia. The article engages a case study of Essenvelt, Middelburg, The Netherlands, where unanticipated warmer night-time temperatures are a primary concern, related to natural variability, the urban heat island effect and climate change. The article proposes certain adaptation measures for Essenvelt, based on the adaptation strategies reviewed. Keywords: Adaptation, climate change, ecosystem-based, water-sensitive urban design, WSUD

Water Sensitive Landscape Case Study: Public Open Green Spaces in Naser City, Egypt

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to reveal measures to lower water demand and consumption of public green spaces in arid environments such as Cairo city while maintaining a pleasant appearance. The Water Sensitive Urban Design approach is adopted to formulate a checklist in order to evaluate the extent to which public green spaces in “Naser City” district, participate in preserving water quality and quantity. After analyzing six case studies, the study concluded that the main problems are using high-quality water to irrigate green spaces, and the gardeners’ reckless irrigation and maintenance techniques. Short term solutions were proposed, such as utilizing low flow irrigation system, minimizing the lawn areas, integrating water meters, using mulching and incorporating a competent maintenance schedule. Long term solutions mainly focused on replacing potable water with treated wastewater, which is estimated to cover irrigation needs for all green areas in the district.

MODELLING OF MSMA COMPONENTS: POROUS PAVEMENT WITH DETENTION SYSTEM UNDERNEATH FOR LOW TRAFFIC ROADS

This study has been made in order to pursue practices in Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), where stormwater management becomes a mainstream in Malaysia. The main focus of this study is to develop a stormwater conveyance model incorporating porous pavement and on-site detention system at Heights Drive (Stutong), Kuching City, and to investigate its effectiveness. Conventional pavements are impervious and create contaminated runoff. In contrast, combination of porous pavement with storage as WSUD approach allows stormwater to percolate to an underlying detention system where stormwater is both infiltrated to underlying clay soil and discharged with a lower rate to drain beside the road. Nine roads with total surface area of 12,660 m2 are selected and a total of 6 scenarios are modelled and simulated using EPA’s SWMM 5.0. It is found that the peak discharge at outfall from the study area is decreased by 23%, in which 2% of the stormwater is infiltrated to the ground for groundwater recharge.

Coping with drought: the experience of water sensitive urban design (WSUD) in the George Municipality

This study investigated the extent of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) activities in the George Municipality in the Western Cape Province, South Africa, and its impact on water consumption. The WSUD approach aims to influence design and planning from the moment rainwater is captured in dams, to when it is treated, and reticulated to consumers, and extending to the point of wastewater re-use, as well as stormwater use. The study identified 8 WSUD sub-activities stemming from 4 main WSUD activities, implemented by the George Local Municipality. Water debtors’ data were sourced in order to measure the effect of 3 of the 8 WSUD sub-activities on water consumption in selected areas. The analysis confirmed that the three WSUD sub-activities had a short-term impact on reducing water consumption in the suburbs where they were implemented. It is recommended that the municipality focus on improved planning and implementation of a diverse range of WSUD activities and implementing information and monitoring systems to evaluate the impact of these measures. Keywords : Drought relief strategies, George Municipality, integrated urban water management, South Africa, water sensitive urban design

Advancing stormwater management practice in Iran using water sensitive urban design approach

More than 350 cities of Iran are subject to floods every year and flood phenomena cause annual 1,500,000,000,000 Rials loss to Iran. The reason for floods lie with lack of appropriate water management systems in terms of stormwater management. Current status of Iran water management calls for imitating the successful experience of other countries. The aim of this paper is to review better management frameworks for urban water management in regard to stormwater management in outstanding countries. In this paper, the concept of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) is initially reviewed, then the proposed frameworks of stormwater management in the world are reviewed and the initiatives associated with stormwater management are offered. Finally, an implemented case of Malaysia is studied to verify the use of initiatives in real similar scales. Among several variables in regard with stormwater management, three types of objectives are highlighted and two evaluation criteria are propsed. Analysis of the results is conducted based on proposed evaluation criteria. Result of the Analysis of the Putrajaya Stormwater Management System shows a remarkable contribution of WASUD initiatives in mitigating the stormwater in this city. Due to geometrical similarities of this city with Iranian ones, results show a great potential of employing WSUD initiatives in Iran. Key words: Resource water management, Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), sustainable management, Putrajaya stormwater management, water management criteria.

Water-sensitive urban design: opportunities for the UK

Water-sensitive urban design (WSUD) is a concept that is gaining support as a means to manage urban water systems in an integrated way through the better positioning of the topic of water in urban planning and design processes. Water-sensitive urban design is emerging in the UK and this paper sets the scene and identifies the opportunities and constraints from a UK perspective. Recent developments in integrated water management, ecosystem services and multifunctional land use provide new opportunities for ‘getting more for less’. These can range from seeing all forms of water as a resource, exploiting opportunities to contribute to the green and blue infrastructure agendas, resilience to climate and other changes. This paper draws on international experience as to how water-sensitive urban design can deliver opportunities; mitigate the urban development challenges; implement and support institutional, regulatory and practical opportunities and demonstrate the benefits of taking a water-sensitive urban design approach in the UK. The key requirements for delivery are highlighted and a proposed vision for water-sensitive urban design in the UK outlined.

Sustainable urban development in Brisbane City - the Holy Grail?

Impacts from urban stormwater runoff on receiving environments have been well documented, particularly through specific regional scientific studies. Using various local government planning and management elements, urban developments in Brisbane City are now able to address stormwater management in an increasingly holistic context. One key initiative includes facilitating Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) components within an Integrated Water Management Strategy that looks at policy formation, planning strategies, design option, community marketing and acceptance, maintenance programs and finally evaluation of various WSUD approaches. These can include the use of Natural Channel Designs, grassed swales, bio-filtration systems, porous pavements and roofwater tanks in several economic combinations. By linking with the Cooperative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology, Brisbane City Council has influenced the design of WSUD planning tools and benefited the city with academic inputs into extensive evaluation programs. As well, it has also contributed to the Cooperative Research Centre's research outcomes. These evaluation programs are increasingly providing better understanding of various stormwater quality best management practices throughout Australia. As part of the overall implementation process, active involvement by a range of stakeholders has been crucial. These stakeholders have included internal planning, development assessment and design staff, external consultants, developers, and other local and state government agencies. The latter two groups are assisting in the important task of "regionalisation" of Brisbane City Council's policies and guidelines. Implementation of WSUD initiatives and stormwater re-use strategies under Council's new "Integrated Water Management" agenda are showing some excellent results, suggesting that sustainable urban development is no longer like the search for the Holy Grail.