Water-sensitive urban design and Principles

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) is a land planning and engineering design approach that integrates the urban water cycle (including stormwater, groundwater, wastewater management and water supply) into urban design to minimize environmental degradation and enhance aesthetic and recreational attraction.WSUD is a term used in the Middle East and Australia, similar to the term Low Impact Development (LID) used in the US; and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), a term used in the UK.

Principles 

• Protecting and enhancing creeks, rivers, and wetlands within urban environments.

• Protecting and improving the water quality of water draining from urban environments into creeks, rivers, and wetlands.

• Restoring the urban water balance by maximizing the reuse of stormwater, recycled water, and grey water.

• Conserving water resources through reuse and system efficiency.

• Integrating stormwater treatment into the landscape so that it offers multiple beneficial uses such as water quality treatment, wildlife habitat, recreation, and open public space.

• Reducing peak flows and runoff from the urban environment simultaneously providing for infiltration and groundwater recharge.Integrating water into the landscape to enhance the urban design as well as social, visual, cultural, and ecological values.Easy, cost-effective implementation of WSUD allowing for widespread application.

Objectives

• Reduce drinking water demand through demand-side and supply-side water management.

• Incorporate water efficient appliances and accessories.

• Use fit-for-purpose methods to use potential alternative water sources, such as stormwater.

• Minimize wastewater generation and treat wastewater to a standard suitable for wastewater reuse and/or discharge into receiving waters.

• Treat stormwater to meet water quality goals by retaining and slowly releasing stormwater to capture sediment, pollutants and nutrients for reuse and/or discharge.

• Improve waterway health by restoring or protecting the natural hydrology of catchment areas through treatment and reuse technologies.

• Improve urban dwellers' aesthetics and connection to water.

• Promote water-related self-sufficiency in urban environments by incorporating local water storage into urban design, optimizing the use of water sources, and minimizing the inflow and outflow of potable, stormwater, and wastewater.

• Help replenish groundwater by using water and vegetation to counteract the 'urban heat island effect'.