Most of the US population is served by large-scale, centralized drinking water, wastewater, and storm water systems built in the late 19th and early 20th century. Multi-trillion dollar investments are needed over the next 20 years to restore failing infrastructure, expand service areas to accommodate growing populations, and meet rising service provision costs driven by environmental and regulatory factors. A formal plan that recognizes the socioeconomic complexity of water services provision in the US is needed to guide these investments. Rising residential water charges over the last 20 years have raised concerns about household affordability of basic water services. Meanwhile, anywhere from 9 to 45 million people (4-28% of the US population) are affected by health-based drinking water quality violations each year. New technologies and evolving social goals have the potential to reshape the sector as we know it. This dissertation is a first attempt at synthesizing the sub questions around which spending is most critical and how rates can be structured for more equitable outcomes. Research on the determinants of historic charge growth has been hindered by a lack of long-term longitudinal data. Unlike energy and telecom utilities, less than 20% of all drinking water utilities (primarily the investor-owned utilities) are economically regulated by public utility commissions. Absent local requirements, municipal water systems whose operating revenues are insufficient to cover operating expenses can make up for budget shortfalls with net transfers from the city general fund. We combine 10 American Water Works Association (AWWA) rate surveys to construct an 18-year unbalanced panel of charges at 446 large utilities (i.e., population served ≥10,000), revealing elevated 2-year compound annual charge growth (CAGR) between 2008 and 2012. We estimate heterogenous impacts of the Great Recession on CAGR with an event study design of 204 utilities, comparing those with 2007 operating ratios below 1.2 (PCR) to those with ratios of ≥ 1.2 (FCR). Despite having the same cumulative 18-year CAGR, 2009-2013 CAGR was 3.9, 5.2, 5.2, and 5.7 percentage points per year higher at PCR utilities for 500, 1,000, 1,500, and 3,000 cf/month, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that large utilities who were likely relying on the general fund at the start of the Great Recession had to sharply increase their charges in the short-term to make up for decreased availability of that funding source. This indicates more immediate affordability challenges at utilities with operating ratios below 1.2 in the event of a similar economic shock. Additional data is needed to evaluate generalizability of these results to smaller systems. Willingness to pay (WTP) for improved drinking water quality is estimated based on the cost of household averting behaviors taken during violations. While buying bottled water is a well-documented reaction to these violations, demographic and socioeconomic differences in water intake, preferred water supply alternatives, and shopping behavior suggest heterogeneity in the timing and form (e.g. soda vs bottled water) of household responses. We quantify this heterogeneity with an event study design using monthly household purchases of soda, water, and juice from the Nielsen Homescan Consumer Panel Dataset from 2004 through 2017. We find that, while households spend an average 14.8% more on bottled water during a month with a nitrate violation, these responses are concentrated in non-hispanic (NHP) Black and NHP Other households below the poverty threshold. Bottled water spending is 91.8% higher than usual in violation months for the former group and 90.0% higher than normal in the month after a violation for the latter. A simultaneous 103% increase in juice spending results in a 30.6% increase in combined beverage spending for NHP Black households below the poverty line in a violation month. Meanwhile, an 85.3% increase in soda spending at NHP Other households drives a 58.9% increase in combined beverage spending in months with a violation and a 134% increase in soda spending, along with increased bottled water purchases, results in a 106% increase in combined beverage spending the month after a violation. NHP Black households with an IPR between 1 and 2 spend 129% more on soda during a violation. Our results indicate that studies focused only on bottled water purchases have systematically undercounted the effects on Hispanic, NHP Black, and Other NHP American households below the poverty threshold in their measure of WTP for improved drinking water quality or for the true cost of violations. Additional analysis is needed to determine if the tap water substitutions made by Hispanic households and households below the poverty threshold are increasing their overall sugary beverage consumption, which can have negative long-term health effects that are also not being considered. Finally, we explore the ongoing implementation of onsite and distributed water reuse systems (ODWRS) to better understand how sociotechnical transitions can be supported when they are deemed to be a socially optimal solution. ODWRS collect previously discarded water flows as alternative water sources (e.g. rainwater, stormwater, greywater, wastewater) from one or more buildings and treat that water close to the point of generation or point of use to a quality deemed safe for its intended end use. Widespread adoption of ODWRS requires both acceptance of new technologies (e.g., water treatment, engineering) and alterations to established social systems(e.g., norms, stakeholder engagement, regulations). This has often been discussed as a single transition for all types of systems at the same time. However, the types of ODWRS being implemented in different areas are not the same. We compile and analyze the first national dataset of system-level information on ODWRS to identify clusters of system types associated with specific drivers. We find evidence of multiple transitions based on the combination of original source contamination level and end use application contact level. Low-contamination, low-contact are almost in the final stage of sociotechnical transition for many locations. Many areas with water supply constraints have already begun the transition for high-contamination to low- or medium-contact systems. Wastewater ODWRS are being implemented in places with effluent disposal constraints and stormwater ODWRS are being implemented in areas with combined sewers or high flood risk, though usually only for low-contact end uses.

Tesis por compendio / [EN] Under the well-known slogan 'think global, act local', cities in the 21st century face the enor-mous challenge of catalyzing, intensifying and accelerating sustainable urban transformations. Without losing a holistic view, the methodology presented in this thesis places the focus on 're-source management and climate mitigation and adaptation', in particular in urban stormwater management, proposing processes that can bring about the required change, shaped by the place-based approach of the regenerative sustainability paradigm. Building upon literature and practice that supports a flexible approach to stormwater manage-ment in urban environments that mimic natural processes and predevelopment hydrology (Sus-tainable Drainage Systems, SuDS) as one way to, amongst others, help to prevent and adapt to climate change, the thesis highlights the relevance of the connection to the place for adoption of best practices that conduct towards a regenerative system. Hence, it incorporates this con-nection to the place to the SuDS representation, naming it the SuDS 'landed rocket'. The proposed methodology includes a conceptual framework, specific method and tools, that allows for the understanding and the characterization of the current situation of a urban stormwater system in a process that guides future actions to move towards the desired regen-erative urban built environment concept, with a place-based holistic view. This methodology has been applied to Benaguasil, a Mediterranean city, where stormwater management is the local authority's responsibility and has been historically guided by main-stream conventional drainage practices. The thesis shows how, by taking a multi-dimensional and trans-disciplinary approach to solve environmental problems, future actions can be proper-ly addressed. Working with academia has been essential to develop wider evidence base. In this case, a sequence of research projects has advanced the innovative approach to stormwater management in Benaguasil, but it is contended that this methodology could be applied to any urban context. The thesis aims to enhance smart governance by providing information about the successful implementation and monitoring of SuDS showcase sites in Mediterranean Spain. These show-case sites are catalysts in the transition towards regenerative urban built environments in the region. In addition, it provides international examples that add further credence for improved urban ecological infrastructure by demonstrating what success can look like. / [ES] Bajo el conocido eslogan 'piensa global, actúa local', las ciudades del siglo XXI se enfrentan al gran reto de catalizar, intensificar y acelerar las transformaciones hacia un urbanismo sostenible. Desde una perspectiva holística, la metodología presentada en esta tesis se centra en 'la gestión de los recursos y la adaptación y mitigación al cambio climático', en particular en la gestión de las escorrentías urbanas, proponiendo los procesos que pueden ayudar al cambio requerido, bajo el enfoque del paradigma de la sostenibilidad regenerativa local. A partir de las referencias bibliográficas y experiencias que avalan a los Sistemas de Drenaje Sostenible (SuDS) como enfoque flexible a la gestión de las escorrentías urbanas, tratando de mimetizar los procesos hidrológicos previos al desarrollo urbano (que entre otros, contribuyen a la prevención y adaptación frente al cambio climático de las ciudades), la tesis subraya la relevancia de la conexión con el lugar para la selección de las mejores soluciones que lo conduzcan hacia un sistema regenerativo. Así, se incorpora esta conexión con el lugar a la representación de los SuDS, dándole el nombre de 'SuDS landed rocket'. La metodología propuesta incluye un marco conceptual, un método y herramientas específicas que permiten el entendimiento y caracterización de la situación actual de un sistema de drenaje urbano en un proceso que guíe acciones futuras para progresar hacia el concepto del medioambiente urbano regenerativo deseado, con una perspectiva holística local. La metodología se ha aplicado en Benaguasil, una ciudad mediterránea, donde la gestión del agua de lluvia es responsabilidad local y que ha estado influenciada históricamente por prácticas convencionales de drenaje. La tesis muestra cómo adoptando un enfoque multidimensional y multidisciplinar para resolver problemas medioambientales, las acciones futuras se pueden plantear correctamente. El trabajo con las instituciones académicas se ha demostrado esencial para desarrollar evidencias de base más amplias. En este caso, una serie de proyectos de investigación ha permitido el avance de Benaguasil hacia una gestión del agua de lluvia más innovadora. La experiencia demuestra que la metodología podría ser aplicada a cualquier otro contexto urbano. La tesis pretende mejorar la gobernanza inteligente proveyendo información respecto de la implementación y monitorización exitosas de SuDS en experiencias piloto en la España mediterránea. Estas demostraciones son catalizadoras de la transición hacia un medio ambiente urbano regenerativo en la región. Además, presenta ejemplos que se añaden al catálogo internacional de experiencias, mostrando el camino del éxito hacia un entorno urbano más saludable y habitable. / [CA] Sota el conegut lema 'pensa global, actua local', les ciutats del segle XXI s'enfronten al gran repte de catalitzar, intensificar i accelerar les transformacions cap a un urbanisme sostenible. Des d'una perspectiva holística, la metodologia presentada en esta tesis es centra en 'la gestió dels recursos i la adaptació i mitigació al canvi climàtic', en particular en la gestió de les escorrenties urbanes, proposant processos que poden ajudar al canvi requés, des d'una òptica del paradigma de la sostenibilitat regenerativa local. A partir de les referències bibliogràfiques i experiències que avalen els Sistemes de Drenatge Sostenible (SuDS) com una aproximació flexible a la gestió de les escorrenties urbanes, tractant de mimetitzar els processos hidrològics previs al desenvolupament urbà (que entre altres, contribueixen a la prevenció i adaptació al canvi climàtic de les ciutats), la tesis subratlla la rellevància de la connexió al lloc per a la selecció de les millors solucions que el puguen conduir cap a un sistema regeneratiu. D'esta manera, s'incorpora esta connexió al lloc en la representació dels SuDS, donant-li el nom de 'SuDS landed rocket'. La metodologia proposta inclou un marc conceptual, un mètode i unes eines especifiques que permeten l'enteniment i caracterització de la situació actual d'un sistema de drenatge urbà en un procés que guie accions futures per a progressar cap al concepte de medi ambient urbà regeneratiu desitjat, amb una perspectiva holística local. La metodologia s'ha aplicat a Benaguasil, una ciutat mediterrània, on la gestió de l'aigua de pluja és responsabilitat local, i que ha estat influenciada històricament per pràctiques convencionals de drenatge. La tesis mostra com adoptant un punt de mira multidimensional i multidisciplinari per a resoldre problemes medi ambientals, les accions futures es poden plantejar correctament. El treball amb les institucions acadèmiques s'ha demostrat essencial per a crear evidències de base més amples. En este cas, una sèrie de projectes europeus d'investigació ha permès l'avanç de Benaguasil cap a una gestió de l'aigua de pluja més innovadora. L'experiència demostra que la metodologia podria ser aplicada a qualsevol altre context urbà. La tesis pretén millorar la governança intel¿ligent aportant informació respecte de la implementació i monitorització exitoses de SuDS en experiències pilot en la Espanya mediterrània. Estes demostracions son catalitzadores de la transició cap a un medi ambient urbà regeneratiu en la regió. A més a més, presenta exemples que s'afegeixen al catàleg internacional d'experiències, mostrant el camí del èxit cap a un entorn urbà més saludable i habitable. / Perales Momparler, CS. (2015). A regenerative urban stormwater management methodology. The role of SuDS construction and monitoring in the transition of a Mediterranean city [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/59063 / Compendio

Dagvatten är det vatten som faller som nederbörd och sedan rinner över vägar och bebyggelse ned i brunnar eller direkt till recipienten. Dagvatten innehåller många olika föroreningar som kan vara direkt skadliga för vattenmiljön. I examensarbetet undersöks Gottsunda dagvattenpark som syftar till att rena dagvattnet innan det når recipienten Hågaån. Målet är att alla ytvattenförekomster i Sverige ska uppnå god ekologisk och kemisk ytvattenstatus, då Hågaån inte uppnår detta i dagsläget är det viktigt att kvantifiera hur väl den befintliga reningen av dagvatten fungerar. Syftet med examensarbetet är att undersöka om kontinuerlig turbiditets- och flödesmätning kan vara en fungerande metod för att kvantifiera transport och avskiljning av dagvattenföroreningarna suspenderat material, fosfor, kadmium, krom, nickel, koppar, bly och zink. Kontinuerliga sensormätningar kan i högre grad fånga in den snabba variationen i dagvatten än konventionella mätmetoder. Bland annat kan turbiditet mätas kontinuerligt med sensorer, en parameter som ofta visar hög korrelation med bland annat suspenderat material. Denna studie visade att signifikanta linjära samband finns mellan turbiditet med suspenderat material, fosfor och metaller för Gottsunda dagvattenparks in- och utlopp. En viss osäkerhet förekommer för sambanden i inloppet till följd av extremvärden med hög influens där ett behov finns av fler stickprover. Den beräknade avskiljningen i denna studie är något lägre än vad som förväntas, en möjlig förklaring är den stora fraktionen lerjordar i avrinningsområdet samt att dammen är förhållandevis nyetablerad. En ytterligare förklaring kan vara att det inte är exakt samma vattenpaket som undersökts i in- och utlopp, vilket antas gett upphov till en underskattning av avskiljningen. Vid viktning av mängderna utifrån en korrekt vattenbalans uppnås en högre avskiljning. Avskiljningsförmågan i Gottsunda dagvattenpark har i stort ökat med tiden men med sämre avskiljning under vintermånaderna. Kontinuerliga sensormätningar fungerar bra för att uppskatta medelkoncentrationer och belastningar av föroreningar och har potentialen att revolutionera dagvattenövervakningen. Dock behövs mer forskning där bland annat partikelsammansättningens påverkan behöver undersökas. / Stormwater is the precipitation that falls over cities and proceeds to flow on our streets, collecting pollutants on its way to the recipient. Stormwater contains a lot of different pollutants that can cause harm to our water bodies. In the study, Gottsunda stormwater pond is examined, whose purpose is to purify the stormwater before it reaches the recipient Hågaån. The goal is that all waters in Sweden should achieve good ecological and chemical surface water status. Since this isn’t achieved by Hågaån it is important to quantify if the current stormwater purification works as intended. The purpose of this study is to examine the potential to use high frequency sensors, measuring turbidity and discharge, to quantify transport and removal of the stormwater pollutants suspended solids, phosphorus, cadmium, chromium, nickel, copper, lead, and zinc. Measuring turbidity and discharge continuously using high frequency sensors can capture the fast variation in stormwater to a higher extent than conventional methods. Turbidity is a parameter which often shows high correlation with e.g. suspended solids. The study showed significant linear relationships between turbidity with suspended solids, phosphorus, and metals for incoming and outgoing water of Gottsunda stormwater pond. Uncertainty is present in the relationships for the incoming water due to extreme values with high influence, thus more grab samples are required. The calculated removal of pollutants is below the expected level, a possible explanation for this is the high fraction of clay soils in the catchment and the young age of the pond. Another explanation could be that the water volumes differ between in- and outlet. Considering the same volumes a higher removal is retrieved. The ability to remove pollutants has increased over time since the pond was established, with exception for the winter months. High frequency sensor measurements work well for estimating mean concentrations and loads of pollutants and has the potential of revolutionizing surveillance of stormwater. Although, more research is required where the effect of particle composition needs to be examined more closely.

Cape Town, South Africa, falls within a winter rainfall region, making it difficult to assess the feasibility of rain- and stormwater harvesting. The reason for this is because the region’s high water demand period coincides with the low rainfall summer season, thereby limiting the availability of this alternative water resource when most needed. During this study, rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing purposes, collected from roof surfaces, was practically assessed by means of inserted flow meters at a pilot study site in Kommetjie, Cape Town. The combined and single system roof- and land surface runoff yields and savings of commercial buildings within the Kommetjie business area, were also theoretically assessed by making use of a mathematical roof- and land surface runoff model specifically developed during this study. The statistical testing of the hypotheses statements relating to the pre- and post-harvesting savings at the pilot study building, compared against the average actual municipal water usage, were performed. Hypotheses testing were also performed in order to compare the theoretical rain- and stormwater runoff yields for the commercial business area against the average actual municipal water consumption. The conclusions drawn from this study indicated that valuable potable water, as well as related financial savings, can be achieved within a winter rainfall region, thereby making rain- and stormwater harvesting a feasible option for commercial businesses in Cape Town. / Environmental Sciences / M.Sc. (Environmental Management)

Cape Town, South Africa, falls within a winter rainfall region, making it difficult to assess the feasibility of rain- and stormwater harvesting. The reason for this is because the region’s high water demand period coincides with the low rainfall summer season, thereby limiting the availability of this alternative water resource when most needed. During this study, rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing purposes, collected from roof surfaces, was practically assessed by means of inserted flow meters at a pilot study site in Kommetjie, Cape Town. The combined and single system roof- and land surface runoff yields and savings of commercial buildings within the Kommetjie business area, were also theoretically assessed by making use of a mathematical roof- and land surface runoff model specifically developed during this study. The statistical testing of the hypotheses statements relating to the pre- and post-harvesting savings at the pilot study building, compared against the average actual municipal water usage, were performed. Hypotheses testing were also performed in order to compare the theoretical rain- and stormwater runoff yields for the commercial business area against the average actual municipal water consumption. The conclusions drawn from this study indicated that valuable potable water, as well as related financial savings, can be achieved within a winter rainfall region, thereby making rain- and stormwater harvesting a feasible option for commercial businesses in Cape Town. / Environmental Sciences / M.Sc. (Environmental Management)

Sustainable Built Environments Senior Capstone Project / Porous concrete pavements have been used in the eastern United States to effectively manage storm water when used as an alternative to impervious surfaces. This paper reviewed a wide body of available literature and research to examine their potential to reduce runoff at the University of Arizona. This study found that their unique structural properties enable them to infiltrate and detain large volumes of water in a stone sub-base below the slab, filtering out many street related contaminants without the need to install additional infrastructure. Porous concrete surfaces may support green development in the southwest where water is both a sensitive and valuable resource. However, long-term structural durability, clogging potential due to dust, and maintenance requirements have yet to be fully understood in this region. This paper then summarizes critical factors that affect the performance of porous concrete and proposes a framework for future study to be conducted by the University of Arizona in a way that would reduce runoff to major campus roads, contribute to a better understanding of sustainable storm water management in the southwest, and demonstrate leadership in environmental stewardship.

Pecan Creek flows southeast through the City of Denton, Texas. Characterized as an urban watershed, the basin covers approximately 63.5 km2. Pecan Creek is an intermittent stream that receives nonpoint runoff from urban landuses, and the City of Denton's wastewater treatment plant, Pecan Creek Water Reclamation Plant, discharges effluent to the stream. Downstream from the City of Denton and the wastewater treatment plant, Pecan Creek flows about 6,000 m through agricultural, pasture, and forested landscapes into Copas Cove of Lake Lewisville, creating backwater conditions. Pecan Creek water quality and chemistry were monitored from August 1997 to October 2001. Water quality was influenced by seasonal, spatial, climatic, and diurnal dynamics. Wastewater effluent discharged from the Pecan Creek Water Reclamation Plant had the greatest influence on water quality of the stream and backwaters. Water quality monitoring of Pecan Creek demonstrated that dissolved oxygen standards for the protection of aquatic life were being achieved. Water quality modeling of Pecan Creek was completed to assess future increases in effluent flow from the Pecan Creek Water Reclamation Plant. Water quality modeling indicated that dissolved oxygen standards would not be achieved at the future effluent flow of 21 MGD and at NPDES permitted loadings. Model results with application of a safety factor indicated that the maximum allowable concentrations for a 21 MGD discharge would be 2.3 mg/L of ammonia and 7.0 mg/L of biochemical oxygen demand at summer conditions. Drought conditions that occurred from 1998 to 2001 reduced water levels in Lake Lewisville and impacted dissolved oxygen water quality in Pecan Creek. Water quality observations made during the period of drought allowed for the development of a model to estimate the zone of the dissolved oxygen sag in Pecan Creek based on reservoir elevation. Finally, monitoring results were analyzed with nonparametric statistical procedures to detect water quality changes in the backwater area of Pecan Creek, as influenced by storm events.

The field of microbial ecology has just entered a new era of rapid technological development and generation of big data. The high-throughput sequencing techniques presently available provide an opportunity to extensively inventorize the blueprints of life. Now, millions of microbes of natural microbial communities can be studied simultaneously without prior cultivation. New species and new functions (genes) can be discovered just by mining sequencing data. However, there is still a tremendous number of microorganisms not yet examined, nor are the ecosystem functions these carry out. The modern genomic technologies can contribute to solve environmental problems and help us understand ecosystems, but to most efficiently do so, methods need to be continuously optimised.   During my Ph. D. studies, I developed a method to survey eukaryotic microbial diversity with a higher accuracy, and applied various sequencing-based approaches in an attempt to answer questions of importance in environmental research and ecology. In PAPER-I, we developed a set of 18S rRNA gene PCR primers with high taxonomic coverage, meeting the requirements of currently popular sequencing technologies and matching the richness of 18S rRNA reference sequences accumulated so far. In PAPER-II, we conducted the first sequencing-based spatial survey on the combined eukaryotic and bacterial planktonic community in the Baltic Sea to uncover the relationship of microbial diversity and environmental conditions. Here, the 18S primers designed in PAPER-I and a pair of broad-coverage 16S primers were employed to target the rRNA genes of protists and bacterioplankton for amplicon sequencing. In PAPER-III, we integrated metagenomic, metabarcoding, and metatranscriptomic data in an effort to scrutinise the protein synthesis potential (i.e., activity) of microbes in the sediment at a depth of 460 m in the Baltic Sea and, thus, disclosing microbial diversity and their possible ecological functions within such an extreme environment. Lastly, in PAPER-IV, we compared the performance of E. coli culturing, high-throughput sequencing, and portable real-time sequencing in tracking wastewater contamination in an urban stormwater system. From the aspects of cost, mobility and accuracy, we evaluated the usage of sequencing-based approaches in civil engineering, and for the first time, validated the real-time sequencing device in use within water quality monitoring.   In summary, these studies demonstrate how DNA sequencing of microbial communities can be applied in environmental monitoring and ecological research. / <p>Yue Hu was supported by a scholarship from the China Scholarship Council (CSC #201206950024)</p><p>Yue Hu has been publishing papers under the name "Yue O. O. Hu".</p><p>QC 20170403</p>

La gestion des eaux pluviales urbaines connait une évolution majeure depuis les années 1960 : d'une stratégie basée sur l'évacuation rapide et totale des eaux pluviales de la ville, on passe progressivement à une stratégie de contrôle à la source (CS). Ces 10 dernières années ont vu une généralisation du CS, ainsi qu'en témoigne l'augmentation du nombre de réglementations de rejet. Ces dernières imposent, dans les nouvelles parcelles urbanisées, la réalisation d'ouvrages ayant pour fonction de réguler et/ou de retenir les eaux pluviales : les techniques alternatives (TA). Une systématisation de ces réglementations ne va pas manquer de générer dans l'avenir de nombreux bassins versants urbains fortement équipés en TA, et dont le comportement hydrologique sera déterminé par les réglementations appliquées. Il apparaît que le choix d'une réglementation par une collectivité est un choix complexe et, d'une collectivité à l'autre, des logiques différentes sont appliquées, dont la cohérence globale peut être discutée. Cette thèse questionne et analyse les politiques de CS, et en particulier les réglementations de rejet, dans une perspective de compréhension de leurs effets hydrologiques dans le long terme. Elle comprend deux analyses complémentaires : nous étudions d'abord l'évolution des politiques de CS dans six collectivités en France, afin de déterminer les logiques appliquées dans le choix des réglementations. Nous présentons ensuite une analyse hydrologique des conséquences de ces réglementations sur le comportement de bassins versant urbains "modèles". Cette analyse, centrée sur la modélisation hydrologique des bassins, permet de questionner les politiques de CS actuelles, mais aussi de discuter des outils que l'hydrologie urbaine peut fournir pour permettre la mise en place de politiques de CS cohérentes, en phase avec le fonctionnement hydrologique des bassins versants / Urban stormwater management is facing a major evolution since 1960: from a strategy based on the complete and fast conveyance of stormwater outside of the urban area, to a strategy based on source control (SC). Recently, SC is becoming a common practice, in connection with the increasing diffusion of flow regulations. These regulations prescribe, for all new urban development, to build facilities (Best Management Practices, BMP) to reduce the flow-rate or the volume of stormwater entering the sewer system. A wide application of flow regulations will determine the future hydrological behaviour of many urban catchments. The choice of a regulation is a complex task for local authorities, involving several logics, whose global coherence can be discussed. This thesis analyses SC policies and regulations and discusses them in terms of their long-term hydrological effects. Two complementary approaches are developed. The first is based on the analysis of the evolution of SC policies in six French authorities, and it aims to define and discuss the logics applied. The second consists in the hydrological modelling of the consequences of SC regulations on the behaviour of two experimental catchments. This hydrological analysis allows (i) to evaluate the pertinence of actual SC policies and (ii) to discuss which tools urban hydrology can provide to support the development of coherent SC policies, according to the hydrological functioning of urban catchments

The Greater New Orleans Urban Water Plan promotes the ideology of integrating green infrastructure into the City’s water management strategy to cultivate resiliency. In order to develop enough green infrastructure to have a significant impact on the hydrological functioning of the area, New Orleans officials are investigating different options for encouraging property owners to manage their stormwater on-site. Philadelphia Water Department’s parcel-based stormwater utility fee has been offered as a model for working within the constraints of the municipal government’s regulatory authority to increase the water retention capacity of individual properties. This thesis provides an analysis of Philadelphia Water Department’s stormwater utility policy and offers recommendations to other cities, like New Orleans, that are considering adopting a similar policy in their jurisdiction.