1. Global Best Practice Examples for Integrated Water
Presentation to the IPWEA Land Development Forum, 16 March 2017
Date

2. How do we manage water? DRIVERS FUNCTIONS
The various drivers for change that I have outlined present us with a range of challenges and opportunities for the management of urban water systems.
There is increased decoupling of urban and rural systems and a diminishing holistic consideration of the global water cycle, with urban areas being considered as isolated entities. For cities to succeed in a world characterised by resource issues and constraints, we must recognize that cities don’t exist in isolation. We need to move from independent consideration of our various water resources to a more integrated approach and ultimately a ‘one water’ community. This diagram shows the progression.
Water supply community – Need for a reliable and secure water supply through water storage, treatment and transfer systems
Sewered community – Need for public health protection through sewers, treatment plants and effluent disposal locations
Drained community – Need for flood protection through drains and channels, levees, river barrage
Waterways community – Need for environmental protection through point and non-point source pollution control
In many respects we are stuck at this point. Development of the various water systems but a lack of holistic planning and views around how more integrated thinking could lead to better outcomes. This holistic thinking leads to what can be described as:
Water cycle community - Need to balance natural resource limitations through increased diversity, fit for use water, conservation, needs for both urban and rural water systems
One Water community – Need for resilient, sustainable communities through integrated community design, infrastructure renewal, resource recovery, understanding the real economic value of water and the interdependence between systems. The exploding global demand for “water-heavy” goods including food and technological products is another critical factor, with agriculture already responsible for around 70% of freshwater withdrawals globally.
Example – Stormwater separation projects for pollution control, but first flush from stormwater can be more polluting.
FUNCTIONS

3. Towards a more sustainable urban water cycle

4. Issues that integrated water management can help address
Flooding and flood management
Poor state of waterways
Responding to effects of sea level rise
Long term availability of water supply
Long term sustainable wastewater treatment and disposal
People don’t value water

5. One Water US Water Alliance1
One Water US Water Alliance

7. Achieve multiple benefits
All water has value
Achieve multiple benefits
Systems mindset
Watershed-scale thinking and action
Partnerships and inclusion

10. 2
Portland, US
Green City

12. Portland Clean River Rewards
On-site stormwater charge is 35% of the total stormwater charge

14. Portland Ecoroofs

15. Ecoroof Incentive results to 2012

17. 3
Atlanta, US
Transformation driven by severe rainfall events in 2012

18. “Our ultimate goal is to reduce stormwater runoff by 225 million gallons annually.”

19. Atlanta Watershed Management Goals
Customer Service
Safe Workplace
Environmental Compliance
Efficient Operations

20. This 34,000m³ pond detain flows from a 100-year storm event and celebrates water

21. Rainwater city principles from the POLIS Water Sustainability Project
The critical first step for each of the three principles is as follows (the publication also details subsequent steps):
Create incentives for property owners and developers to install green infrastructure e.g. expedited planning and favourable zoning allowances. Setting effective permeability targets for a zone provides direction and focus as well as benchmarks against which future developments can be measured.
Promote non-potable water for all irrigation and overcome code restrictions.
Integrate water service departments so that drinking water supply, storm- water, and wastewater are managed as a single system that mimics the natural water cycle and establish a regional watershed entity with a clear mandate to address watershed-level issues and decision-making powers as they relate to land-use decisions that impact water resources.

22. 4
Singapore
Active Beautiful Clean Waters programme

24. ABC Design Guidelines

25. 5
Sydney, Australia
Leaders in water demand management

26. Driven by drought

30. Urban Green-Blue Grids the Netherlands3
Urban Green-Blue Grids the Netherlands
Green-blue urban grids make cities sustainable, resilient and climate-proof

34. Common themes from the global examples
Valuing water is the key
Aim for multiple benefits
Think of the natural water cycle
Working together is essential
Get the public involved

35. Questions?