Challenges in Urban Drainage: Environmental Impacts, Impact Mitigation, Methods of Analysis and Institutional Issues

摘要

Urbanisation leads to concentration of population in relatively small areas and this process causes many environmental impacts on water resources and increases the population demands on such services as water supply, flood protection, drainage, wastewater disposal, and water-based recreation. The drainage systems, which have evolved through history, represent compromises between ecological needs, human well-being, technical abilities and availability of resources. Only in recent years has the depletion and degradation of urban water resources led to the advocacy of a sustainable urban water system, characterised by lower water consumption, preservation of natural drainage, reduced generation of wastewater through water reuse and recycling, advanced water pollution control, and preservation and/or enhancement of the receiving water ecosystem.