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Sustainable drainage in urban planning of cities
Currently cities require a lot of water to be functional. And with the growth of the urban population, the demand for municipal water is estimated to skyrocket by 40% by 2025. In addition, as a consequence of the rapid and disorganized urbanization process as well as a urban planification "Poor", problems are already emerging regarding the availability and quality of water inside and outside the cities.
Let us remember that from the article on the anatomy of cities and their habitability, we learn how to understand the blocks, blocks and cellular urbanism of cities to improve the health of the inhabitants.
Challenges of water management in cities
Faced with these worrying forecasts, we must take into account the need of the population to live in healthy cities with green spaces that make them more comfortable. Therefore, the dilemma arises as to whether this will be possible without further increasing external water inputs.
The reality is that it has already been shown in some cities that it can be done, but with a more sustainable water management of which we generally use and applying techniques of sustainable urban planning.
What is usually done is to bring water from increasingly distant sources, with the added expense of infrastructure and the impact on the environment that this entails. And, paradoxically, we rapidly expel precipitation water from urban environments, increasing the necessary infrastructures and also producing a negative footprint on the natural environment.
So, not only are the urban stormwater, but they are discharged contaminated to the environment. In addition, other problems arise that include overexploitation of water resources or greater vulnerability to floods.
In order to solve these problems, the Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) emerged, which involve redesigning the urban landscape imitating nature in the reproduction of the hydrological cycle.
Sustainable urban drainage systems in urban planning
Unlike the techniques of conventional drainage (sewer), many of the SUDS they are installed on the surface. In addition to being visible, in many cases they have a multifunction for the citizen, so they have to be perfectly integrated into the cities.
This requires the involvement of various agents, public administration, urban planners, engineers, landscapers … and of course, citizens.
Being an integrated part of the urban landscape, its inclusion in urban planning is inevitable; since, through some sustainable drainage techniques, you can get, apart from a more efficient water management runoff, a greener and more comfortable space for the citizen.
In this way, urban planners must consider rainwater as a resource to be used instead of a waste to evacuate, both in new sustainable development plans and in redevelopment plans. For which it will be advisable to follow the following principles:
Principles of sustainable drainage
- In the Projects of new urbanization the land to be built must be considered as a part included within the hydrological basinTherefore, the new runoff management system must be designed by imitating the characteristics and functions of runoff that occurs in the natural environment.
- Control urban growth so that the areas most sensitive to development are protected and located in those areas best adapted for growth where it is easier to control the impacts associated with runoff.
- Minimize impervious areas and reduce soil compaction, which can be done by using permeable pavements, increasing green spaces (even if they are small),….
SUDS techniques that make the urban landscape more attractive
Types and projects of SUDS (Urban Sustainable Drainage Systems) there are many, structural, non-structural, surface, underground, that manage runoff at the local level, at the regional level, etc …
We describe a few below urban examples that, due to its aesthetics and functionality, which in addition to improving the quality of runoff water, offer a playful space, reduce the “heat island” effect and increase the variety of animal and plant species in cities.
Examples of urban sustainable drainage systems:
Green roofs
Green roofs are multilayer elements, placed on roofs and roofs, on which vegetation grows. Depending on the type of plants they support, they can be intensive, extensive or semi-intensive. They offer a medium regulation of the volume and peak flow of rainwater and good on the quality of the water.
Green gutters
Green or vegetated ditches are vegetated depressions, long and shallow, with a slight longitudinal slope. There are several types, depending on the type of street where they are located, they may be more or less wide.
They help separate pedestrian areas from the road and can transform a street making it more attractive for a walk. They seek a medium regulation on the volume and peak flow of the runoff and good on the quality of the water.
Rain or storm gardens
They are small bioretention areas where runoff from adjacent impervious areas ends. They have a somewhat depressed permeable soil to accumulate and infiltrate water and are characterized by being full of vegetation, looking like gardens at first glance. In addition to helping to improve the quality of urban runoff waters, they increase biodiversity within cities.
Remember that we have two interesting articles on how to make urban gardens at home and green walls for housing, more intended for the home.
Permeable surfaces
Visually they do not differ from ordinary waterproof floors, but unlike them, greatly help reduce runoff. And combined with other more aesthetic techniques, such as filter boxes or green channels, they are a very good option in the remodeling of streets or the construction of new roads.
Although permeable surfaces may not be as striking as other SUDS, there are different types of flooring in different formats and colors with which to create new and improved spaces for the pedestrian.
These are just some of the examples of SUDS that we can find in the so-called green streets, streets characterized by using natural processes in stormwater management "In situ"; But they are not the only ones, green canals or filter boxes can also be used to incorporate the natural hydrological cycle in cities and, incidentally, improve the urban landscape and the quality of life of city dwellers.
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