 | Alternative technology for stormwater management sustainable drainage systems – Report and South African case studies |
| Expanded Title: | Stormwater management in the urban areas of South Africa has and continues to predominantly focus
on collecting runoff and channelling it to the nearest watercourse. This means that stormwater drainage currently prioritises quantity (flow) management with little or no emphasis on the preservation of the environment. The result has been a significant impact on the environment through the resulting erosion, siltation and pollution. An alternative approach is to consider sto rmwater as part of the urban water cycle, a strategy which is being increasingly known as Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) with the stormwater management component being known as Sustainable Drai nage Systems (SuDS).
SuDS attempts to manage surface water drainage systems holistically in line with the ideals of sustainable development. It aims to design for water quantity management, water quality treatment, enhanced amenity, and the maintenance of biodiversity. In so doing many of the n egative environmental impacts of stormwater are mitigated and some benefits may in fact be realised.
This study set out to identify and develop new and appropriate guidelines fo r the use of alternative
stormwater technology in South Africa. The project resulted in the development of the following knowledge products:
•Sustainable Drainage Systems -South African case studies.
•The South African Guidelines for Sustainable Drainage Systems (The South African SuDS Guidelines)
•The 'SuDS Economic Model (SEM)'.
•The 'SuDS Conceptual Design' poster.
•The'Working Sustainable Drainage Systems into the City' poster.
•The 'Water Sensitive Urban Design: South Africa' website (www.wsud.co.za).
There is unfortunately limited experience and data available locally; therefore the parameters qu oted in this guideline have all been collected from international literature. These parameters are dependent on a variety of factors including, inter alia, climate, pollution composition and conce ntration, technical
design, and maintenance. Local conditions should thus be carefully considered before the use of these values. Conventional stormwater management focuses largely on quantity (flow) management, by collecting runoff and channelling it to the closest watercourse. This has res ulted in the erosion of natural channels, and pollution resulting in environmental degradation. SuDS offers an alternative approach through designing for water quantity management; water quality treatment; enhanced amenity; and the maintenance of biodiversity. The approach has be en widely ado pted internationally, however there is still some resistance to their use in South Africa. These products are intended to assist practitioners to identify and flag opportunities where the use of SuDS is ap propriate and may add to the
value of the urban environment |
| Date Published: | 30/10/2013 |
| Document Type: | Brief |
| Document Subjects: | Sanitation - Waterborne sanitation |
| Document Keywords: | Water Quality |
| Document Format: | Report |
| Document File Type: | pdf |
| Research Report Type: | Standard |
| WRC Report No: | 1826/1/13 |
| ISBN No: | 978-1-4312-0424-3 |
| Authors: | Armitage N; Vice M; Fisher-Jeffes L; Winter K; Spiegel A; Dunstan J |
| Project No: | K5/1826 |
| Originator: | WRC |
| Organizations: | University of Cape Town |
| Document Size: | 4 687 KB |
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