The infrastructure costs, water quality and environmental concerns associated with continuing with the current urban water cycle paradigm are increasing to unsustainable levels. It is argued that a systems approach is required to understand and hence find optimum solutions for urban water cycle management that includes decentralized approaches used to supplement to current centralized management methods.
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.