Integrated Water Cycle Management at Heritage Mews in Western Sydney

Written by peter@uwcs.com.au

November 9, 2014

HeritageMewsThe “Heritage Mews” urban development is an integrated water cycle management project that applies a regime-in-balance stormwater management strategy which requires runoff volume from a developed site to be equal to the discharge from the site prior to development in the adopted critical design storm. Retention and infiltration technology, the first option of choice, was impractical at “Heritage Mews” because of the impermeable nature of its surface geology. Instead, the objectives of ‘before-and-after’ runoff volume equality and peak discharge less than permissible site discharge (PSD) were achieved using rainwater tanks, gravel trenches and ‘slow-drainage’.

Continuous simulation using the PURRS model and distributed modelling using the WUFS model was used to prove that the configuration of retention components planned for the development delivered the flow quantity objectives set by Council and, also, that the 3.0 kL rainwater tanks would provide 22% of domestic water use. The development incorporated four “UniSAtanks” which provide a high standard of quality control to 95% of average annual flow. The water sensitive urban design (WSUD) approach resulted in infrastructure savings of $2,500 per allotment and land savings of $51,000 per allotment.

Click here to download the publication

About
Dr Peter Coombes

Dr Coombes has spent more than 30 years dedicated to the development of systems understanding of the urban, rural and natural water cycles with a view to finding optimum solutions for the sustainable use of ecosystem services, provision of infrastructure and urban planning.

Connect with Peter

Related Articles

Is zero afflux the question or answer to better flooding outcomes?

Is zero afflux the question or answer to better flooding outcomes?

Presentation by Peter J Coombes and Andrew Allan at HWRS 2022: Is zero afflux the real challenge or solution for better flood management? It is vitally important to establish science and legally based rules for fair administration of the objectives and exploration of options that respond to flood risks. Otherwise, there will be a substantial administrative burden for marginal benefit. Our professionals and agencies need to be prepared for a different and challenging future, and our methods need to be fit for purpose from a whole of society perspective.

Available Storage in Rainwater Tanks – Stormwater Benefits

Available Storage in Rainwater Tanks – Stormwater Benefits

Impact of rainwater tanks on stormwater infrastructure. What is the available storage in rainwater tanks prior to a rain event that is significant to stormwater infrastructure? The use of design storms is current Australian practice for design of stormwater management...

c