Potential of storm water utilisation

The School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies presents Maryna Storie from the Gauteng City-Region Observatory who will be delivering a lecture entitled Potential for urban transformation from vulnerability to sustainability through the utilisation of storm water infrastructure.   

The impact of storms in cities is often significantly different than in rural settings, and inundation even for short periods of time in urban  areas may lead to significant disruption and damage.

Stormwater infrastructure design and management in densely populated inland areas needs to consider two components. The first one is hard-engineered bulk- and minor reticulation systems that are based on resource-extracted or -altered materials such as metal, concrete and composites. The second is ecosystem services that is presented in the form of natural attenuation and de-tenuation zones, based on topographic characteristics, the infiltration capacity of soils, and the absorption and dispersion capacity of river systems, to name a few.