Water Sensitive CitiesWater Sensitive Cities:a road map for cities’ adaptation to climate anda road map for cities’ adaptation to climate and population pressures on urban water

Tony Wong

b i tib i ti li t hli t hurbanisationurbanisation climate changeclimate change

Emerging Challenges in Urban Environments

An era of complexity

Tailoring solutions to respond to the complex challenges of the contemporary world.

Climatic Extremes and Denser Urban Environments

“how do we enhance and sustain the world’s built, natural and social environments…”

A Socio-Technical Approach – Trans-disciplinary & across Faculties

A Vision for Water Sensitive Cities

DSE (2008) Augmentation of the Melbourne Water Supply System: Analysis of Potential System Behaviour

Cities as a Water Supply Catchment

Melbourne Future Water Demands

Stage 1 restriction from 2036

DSE (2008) Augmentation of theDSE (2008) Augmentation of the Melbourne Water Supply System: Analysis of Potential System Behaviour

Cities as a Water Supply Catchment

Melbourne Future System storage levels

Can we find alternative water sources within next 27 An additional 60GL required to 2055

years to meet growing water demands to delay construction of 2nd desalination plant? 60GL

2036

Cities as Water Supply Catchments

Supplementing Desalinated Water

S Brownfield, 36%Stormwater Harvesting

• Brownfield ~ 35% reduction (minimum)

Dispersed, 20%• Greenfield ~ 22% reduction (minimum)

Reduction in 2036 Water Demand

Greenfield, 44%

• Brownfield – 19 GL reduction

• Greenfield – 15 GL reduction

• Gain of 34GL by 2036

Source: Department of Planning and Community Development (2005), Regional

Housing Statements

y

Stormwater Harvesting in Future Developments only

Can we• gain a further 20GL (~6%) from

the 350GL of stormwater runoff inthe 350GL of stormwater runoff in current built up areas by 2047 ?

• Recycle wastewater and/or implement decentralised

2036 2047

implement decentralised greywater/blackwater reuse ?

DSE (2008) Augmentation of the Melbourne Water Supply System:

Analysis of Potential System Behaviour

Cities as Water Supply CatchmentsBehaviour

Supplementing Desalinated Water

There is a window of at least 27 years to secure alternative waterThere is a window of at least 27 years to secure alternative water sources to supplement Melbourne’s water supply in a long-term sustainable solution to ensure Melbourne’s resilience into the future.

Strengthening current planning policies for stormwater harvesting and recycled wastewater covering all new greenfield and brownfieldrecycled wastewater covering all new greenfield and brownfielddevelopments can defer augmentation of the desalination plant by at least 11 years (~ $1.7B savings).

A window of opportunity

Our knowledge of the traditional ‘values’ of open spaces and landscapeOur knowledge of the traditional values of open spaces and landscape features needs to be bolstered with an understanding of the ‘ecological functioning’ of the urban landscapes that capture the essences of sustainable water management micro-climate influences facilitation ofsustainable water management, micro-climate influences, facilitation of carbon sinks and use for food production.

Ecological Landscapes

water quality improvement management of stormwater as a resourceflood mitigation buffering aquatic ecosystems from the effects of catchment urbanisation and climate changeclimate changeinfluencing urban micro-climates

Cities providing Ecosystem ServicesEcological functioning

Alexander and Arblaster, IJoC (accepted)

Time Series of Extremes for the Australian Region 1870-2099

Melbourne, Saturday 7th Feb 2009

Melbourne’s all-time weather record has been broken and the city is sweltering under the twin effects of high temperatures and hot north-west winds.

The city hit 46 4 degrees at 3 04pm the hottest day since the Bureau of Meteorology started keepingThe city hit 46.4 degrees at 3.04pm - the hottest day since the Bureau of Meteorology started keeping records 150 years ago.

The previous record was 45.6, set on January 13, 1939 - a day otherwise known as Black Friday …City swelters records tumble in heat (2009 Feb 07) [The Age]– City swelters, records tumble in heat (2009-Feb-07) [The Age]

January 2009 heat wave bodies to State MorgueJanuary 2009 heat wave bodies to State Morgue

50

60Bodies Maximum Temperature

37

50

43.4 44.3 45.1

40

50

& B

odie

s

19

2830.5

30

ratu

re (o C

) &

19

10

20

Tem

pe

028/1 29/1 30/1 31/1

28-31 January, 2009

The Melbourne Heatwave

Source: Ishida 1993 (AIJ)

Centre for Water Sensitive CitiesCentre for Water Sensitive Cities

To consolidates all of Monash University’s research and development efforts in advancing water sensitive cities to builtdevelopment efforts in advancing water sensitive cities to built resilient to current and future challenges

Think City – Plan Neighbourhoods & PrecinctsThink City – Plan Neighbourhoods & Precincts

Liveable & affordable urban renewal/greenfield developments

Resilience to floods – retreat/defence/control – an adaptive approachResilience to floods retreat/defence/control an adaptive approach

Resilience to droughts – diversity of water sources & enabling infrastructure

Nexus between Water & Energy

Delivering Ecological Landscapes – flood management, water harvesting, flora and fauna bio-diversity, productive landscapes, carbon sink, micro-climate etc.

B ildi t i bl /’ lf ffi i t’ iti th tBuilding sustainable/’self-sufficient’ communities that are ‘connected’

A Water Sensitive Future

Building Flexibility & Adaptability in its water sourcesBuilding Flexibility & Adaptability in its water sources

“Cities as Water Supply Catchments”

Green InfrastructureGreen InfrastructureGreen InfrastructureGreen Infrastructure

“Cities providing Ecosystem Services”

B ildi i l d i tit ti l it lB ildi i l d i tit ti l it lBuilding social and institutional capitalBuilding social and institutional capital

“A Sophisticated City attuned to a Ecologically Sustainable Lifestyle”

Water Sensitive Cities – Key Guiding Principles

RESEARCH TO DELIVER THE SCIENCERESEARCH TO DELIVER THE SCIENCE‐‐POLICY POLICY INNOVATION INNOVATION PATHWAYPATHWAY

FUNDAMENTAL FUNDAMENTAL  APPLIED APPLIED RESEARCHRESEARCH

INDUSTRY INDUSTRY 

d RESEARCHRESEARCH RESEARCHRESEARCH OUTREACH OUTREACH 

2005‐09  2005‐09 2004 09

2008‐09 ARTS‐IWCom

pleted

NUWGP, ARTS FAWB, ENG2004‐09 ISWR, ENG 

ARTS IWCWSC Sem.Co

2008‐11 2007‐012 

Socio‐Technical ModellingEU FR7, ENG & ARTS

2010‐15 Citi W t S l C t h ten

t

BiofilterCommercialisation, ENG2009‐12 

Urban Water Governance, ARTS

Cities as Water Supply CatchmentsENG, ARTS, SCI, Bus & Eco

Curre

2010‐12 Biofilter Demo 

in Israel

2010 122010‐12 Clearwater 

Water Sensitive Cities Capacity Building  Partnership

Building Flexibility & Adaptability in its water sources

Green Infrastructure Building social and institutional capital“A Sophisticated City

“Cities as Water Supply Catchments”

“Cities providing Ecosystem Services”

attuned to a Ecologically Sustainable Lifestyle”

Urban StormwaterUrban StormwaterP1 – Sustainable Technologies

P6 – Society and Institutions

P2 – Climate Change Implications

P3 – Green Cities and Micro-Climate

P7 – Economic ValuationsP5 – Risks and Health P4 – Stream Ecology

P8 – Integration and Demonstration through Urban Design

Cities as Water Supply Catchments

P1: Sustainable TechnologyP1: Sustainable TechnologyP f A D l ti (M h U i it )P f A D l ti (M h U i it )Professor Ana Deletic (Monash University)Professor Ana Deletic (Monash University)

P2: Climate Change ImplicationsP2: Climate Change ImplicationsP f Ch i ti J b (M hP f Ch i ti J b (M h U i it )U i it )Prof. Christian Jacob (Monash Prof. Christian Jacob (Monash University)University)

We will:-

develop a procedure for dynamic downscaling of global and regional climatic forecastand regional climatic forecast

develop a sound methodology for the assessment of uncertainties in urban rainfall and evaporation in theuncertainties in urban rainfall and evaporation in the context of a highly variable future climate

PredictedRainfall & PET

RegionalClimate

PollutionGeneration

Predicteddistributionof efficiency

Global Rainfall/Runoff

PROPOSED METHODOLOGY

Treatment

Sources of uncertainties

Time

Rainfall & PET ClimateModels

GenerationModels Climate

model

Sources of uncertainties: input data, model structure, model parameters, etc

Models Models

P5: Risks and HealthP5: Risks and HealthD Ch i t h O t (U iD Ch i t h O t (U i f Q l d)f Q l d)Dr Christoph Ort (UnivDr Christoph Ort (Univ. of Queensland). of Queensland)

We will resolve outstanding issues related to safe gharvesting of general urban stormwater for both potable and non-potable uses on three urban scales:

(1) allotment (2) street and (3) precinct.

P3: Green Cities and MicroP3: Green Cities and Micro--ClimateClimateP fP f Ni l TNi l T & A P f& A P f J B i (M hJ B i (M hProf. Prof. Nigel Tapper Nigel Tapper & Assoc. Prof. & Assoc. Prof. Jason Berringer (Monash Jason Berringer (Monash University)University)

We will identify the local climatic advantages of households, streetscapes, and precinct-scale ecological l d & b t t b i tlandscapes & urban water management by comparison to standard/existing approaches to urban design.

P4: Stream EcologyP4: Stream EcologyP4: Stream EcologyP4: Stream EcologyAssoc. Prof. Tim Fletcher (Monash University)Assoc. Prof. Tim Fletcher (Monash University)AssocAssoc. Prof. Chris Walsh (Univ. of Melbourne). Prof. Chris Walsh (Univ. of Melbourne)

We will

determine the impact of stormwater harvesting on the hydrology and water quality in waterways and assess thequality in waterways, and assess the subsequent ecological response

t bli h th i t “ tiestablish the appropriate “operating rules” for stormwater harvesting will be developed.be developed.

P6: Society and InstitutionsP6: Society and InstitutionsAssoc. Prof. Rebekah Brown (Monash University)Assoc. Prof. Rebekah Brown (Monash University)

We will develop template of new governance and policyWe will develop template of new governance and policymechanisms to expedite a water sensitive city and the servicing models for practical application of decentralised g p ppurban water servicing.

P7: Economic Valuation P7: Economic Valuation A P f Vi k Ch dh i (M h U i it )A P f Vi k Ch dh i (M h U i it )Assoc. Prof Vivek Chaudhri (Monash University)Assoc. Prof Vivek Chaudhri (Monash University)

We will develop a framework for economic valuation offor economic valuation of decentralised urban water solutions as multi-purposesolutions, as multi-purpose urban assets for current and future economic contexts offuture economic contexts of Australian cities.

P8: Demonstration & Integration P8: Demonstration & Integration through Urban Designthrough Urban DesignRoss Allen & Leanne Hodyl Ross Allen & Leanne Hodyl (AECOM)(AECOM)

We will demonstrate applications of a elements of a Water Sensitive City at three scales, and solve

bl f th i i t ti i t th b fproblems of their integration into the urban form.

allotment streetscape Precinct