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The extent of water sensitive urban design in the George municipality

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigated the extent of Water Sensitive Urban Design activities in the George municipality in the Western Cape Province, in South Africa. Water resource management in urban areas worldwide had become unsustainable with the widespread implementation of outsized
infrastructure, environmental degradation and overuse of natural resources. The result was a concept
called Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM). IUWM encapsulates the entire water cycle from
rainwater to surface water, groundwater and wastewater, as part of urban water management, and not as
separate entities. There was worldwide response to IUWM, with the USA formulating Low-Impact
Development (LID), the UK designing their Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS), and New
Zealand articulating Low Impact Urban Design and Development (LIUDD), all to improve urban water
resource management. Australia responded with Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD). WSUD
explores the design and planning of water infrastructural development in an urban setting, vital in
Australian cities which experience continuous severe water shortage conditions. The WSUD approach
aims to influence design and planning from the moment rainwater is captured in dams, treated, and
reticulated to consumers, to the point of wastewater re-use, as well as stormwater use. Various
techniques are specified as part of the WSUD approach namely: the installation of greenroofs, demand
reduction techniques, stormwater management and the re-use of treated wastewater for irrigation and
fire-fighting. These WSUD activities can be implemented from large-scale efforts with whole suburbs
working together to manage stormwater by construction of wetlands, as well as small-scale change in
design and planning, e.g., with household rainwater tank installation for irrigation and toilet flushing.
With South Africa’s progressive legislation at a national, provincial and local municipal level, various
WSUD activities can be implemented to aid and guide municipalities. The study aimed to investigate
what type of WSUD activities the George municipality has implemented, and to what extent the
activities had an impact on water consumption, since the drought in 2009. The reasons behind any lack
of implementation were also explored. Proof of only eight WSUD activities implementation could be
found. Water debtors’ data and bulk water data was sourced in order to determine the effect of the eight
WSUD activities on water consumption. Bulk meter data could however not be used to correlate with
the debtors’ data since readings from many bulk meters had not been recorded. Debtors’ data did prove
however that the WSUD activities had a short-term impact on water consumption in the suburbs where
it was implemented. The reasons given for non-implementation were not satisfactory.
Recommendations are that the municipality should focus on better planning and implementation of diverse activities and that keeping records and data should be made a priority to determine any progress
made. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die omvang van die Water Sensitiewe Stedelike Ontwerp (WSUD) aktiwiteite
in die George munisipaliteit in die Wes-Kaap, in Suid-Afrika. Waterhulpbronbestuur in stedelike
gebiede in die wêreld het nie-volhoubaar geword met die grootskaalse implementering van
buitenmaatse infrastruktuur, agteruitgang van die omgewing en die oorbenutting van natuurlike
waterhulpbronne. Die gevolg was 'n konsep wat Geïntegreerde Stedelike Water Bestuur (IUWM)
genoem is. IUWM omvat die hele watersiklus vanaf reënval, tot oppervlakwater, grondwater en
afvalwater, as deel van die stedelike waterbestuur, en nie as aparte entiteite nie. Daar was 'n wêreldwye
reaksie te IUWM, met die VSA se Lae-impak-Ontwikkeling (LID), die Verenigde Koninkryk se
ontwerp van hul volhoubare stedelike dreineringstelsel (SUDS), en Nieu-Seeland se formulering van
Lae-impak Stedelike Ontwerp en Ontwikkeling (LIUDD), om stedelike water hulpbronne beter te
bestuur. Australië het reageer met Water Sensitiewe Stedelike Ontwerp (WSUD). WSUD verken die
ontwerp en beplanning van waterbestuur infrastruktuur ontwikkeling, in 'n stedelike omgewing, waar
dit noodsaaklik was in die Australiese stede wat deurlopende tekort aan water ervaar. Die WSUD
benadering het ten doel om die ontwerp en beplanning te beïnvloed vanaf die oomblik reënwater in
damme opgevang is, behandel, en aan verbruikers versprei word, tot by die punt van afvalwater
hergebruik, sowel as stormwater gebruik. Verskeie tegnieke word verskaf as deel van die WSUD
benadering, naamlik: die installering van “greenroofs”, wateraanvraagbestuur tegnieke, en stormwater
gebruik en hergebruik van behandelde afvalwater vir besproeiing en brandbestryding. Hierdie WSUD
aktiwiteite kan implementeer word vanaf grootskaalse pogings met die samewerking van hele
voorstede met stormwater bestuur deur die konstruksie van die vleilande, sowel as kleinskaalse
verandering in die ontwerp en beplanning by huishoudings, byvoorbeeld met reënwatertenk installasie
vir besproeiing en toilet spoel. Met Suid-Afrika se progressiewe wetgewing op 'n nasionale, provinsiale
en plaaslike munisipale vlak wat munisipaliteite steun en lei, kan die verskeie WSUD aktiwiteite
ïmplementeer word. Die studie is gemik om ondersoek in te stel na watter tipe WSUD aktiwiteite deur
die George-munisipaliteit implementeer word, en tot watter mate die aktiwiteite 'n impak gehad het op
die water verbruik sedert die droogte in 2009. Die redes agter 'n gebrek aan implementering is ook
ondersoek. Bewyse van implementering van net agt WSUD aktiwiteite kon gevind word. Data van die
water debiteure en grootmaat water meters is verkry ten einde die effek van die agt WSUD aktiwiteite
op die water verbruik te bepaal. Grootmaat water meter data kan egter nie gebruik word om te korreleer
met die data van die debiteure aangesien die lesings van baie grootmaat water meters nie aangeteken is
nie. Debiteure se data het egter bewys dat die WSUD aktiwiteite 'n korttermyn-impak op die waterverbruik in die voorstede waar dit geïmplementeer is gemaak het. Die redes gegee vir nieuitvoering
is nie bevredigend nie. Aanbevelings is dat die munisipaliteit moet fokus op beter
beplanning en implementering van diverse aktiwiteite en dat die hou van rekords en data prioriteit
gemaak moet word om vas te stel of enige vordering gemaak is.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/17848
Date12 1900
CreatorsLottering, Naomey Olive
ContributorsDonaldson, Ronnie, Du Plessis, Danie, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format137 p. : ill., maps
RightsStellenbosch University

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