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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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experience of retrofitting sustainable drainage systems ( SuDS) in the United Kingdom is limited, and there are no well-established procedures for evaluating the feasibility, value or cost-effectiveness of doing this, particularly at the catchment scale. This paper demonstrates a two-phase process for evaluating the potential to retrofit SuDS to address combined sewer discharges in three subcatchments within the Thames Tideway catchment of London. The first phase evaluates what might be achieved with various levels of disconnection ('global' disconnection scenarios) using hydraulic models, while the second phase considers how disconnection might practically be achieved. High levels of disconnection are technically possible but practicably difficult. In selected cases, and with aggressive implementation of SuDS, combined sewer overflow CSO discharges could potentially be eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels without the need for any modifications to underground assets. However, retrofit SuDS could not eliminate the requirement for some form of sewer modification in any subcatchments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the fundamental characteristics of appropriate support for sustainable development decisions in engineering projects in Great Britain. It reviews the methodologies proposed for making strategic decisions and evaluating policy choices for their contributions towards sustainable development. It highlights the recommendations that are made to support best practice and to establish more support for such decisions.

Local drainage systems are crucial to everyone. These comprise building drainage systems and the drainage networks around buildings, locally in streets and in small ditches and watercourses. Problems arise both due to the inflows to the system, which in future will be less certain, and increasing downstream hydraulic and regulatory constraints on outflows. In addition, key stakeholders often find it difficult to engage due to the complex institutional structure of flood risk management in England and Wales. The major drivers identified for future increases in flood risks relate to rainfall, environmental legislation, urbanization and urban planning. In a recent UK government study it was identified that traditional solutions to managing urban drainage related flood risk changes are likely to be too costly and that alternatives need to be found. The development of an analytical approach to local urban drainage that takes account of potential future changes, such as climate and urban form, is described that will allow alternative adaptable solutions to be evaluated. The approach has been applied to several case studies. The effectiveness of these processes in the light of changing future risks is reviewed and a proposed framework and guide for adapting urban drainage systems to climate change presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research investigating all aspects of solids in sewer systems has been underway in Europe for nearly two decades. Due to the early development of European sewer systems, originally as part of the industrialization process more than 100 years ago, urbanization has caused the original sewer networks to become overloaded and unable to function efficiently. Operational problems of interest include loss of ability to convey (designed) flows and the performance of "overflows" to relieve the high flows discharging directly into rivers and other watercourses. Research has characterized the nature of the solids getting into sewer systems, how they behave in terms of transport, and some of the main aspects of their effects. It has been possible to demonstrate that much of the pollutants found in suspension during storms, and likely to be discharged from overflows, originate from the predominantly organic "near bed solids" which accumulate in systems during dry weather. New ideas for the way in which the sediments are transported and the importance of the transformation processes, are leading toward the development of a unified and integrated understanding of the way in which sewer solids behave and the associated biochemical transformation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]