Integrating Decentralized Rainwater Management in Urban Planning and Design: Flood Resilient and Sustainable Water Management Using the Example of Coastal Cities in The Netherlands and Taiwan

Abstract

Urbanized delta areas worldwide share a growing tendency of exposure to water stress induced by the effects of climate change and anthropogenic factors, threatening the operation of infrastructure systems and future urban development. The important synergistic impacts coexisting with freshwater scarcity are increasing urbanization rates, subsiding soils, saltwater intrusion in aquifers and rivers, coastal erosion, and increased flooding. Innovative design strategies and concepts for the integration of decentralized rainwater management measures can contribute to the integrated and climate resilient planning of urban spaces that are threatened by climate change scenarios that worsen the security of urban infrastructures and the future availability of fresh water. Decentralized rainwater management, including retention, storage, and reuse strategies that are integrated into spatial planning and urban design, can reduce flood risks while simultaneously enhancing freshwater availability. This paper discusses a paradigm shift in urban water management, from centralized to decentralized management (that is, from threats to opportunities), using the example of two case studies. Concepts and strategies for building climate resilient cities, which address flood control, the protection of freshwater resources, and the harmonization of a natural and more sustainable water balance, are presented for Almere (Rhine Schelde Delta, The Netherlands) and Hsingchu (Dotzpu Delta, Taiwan).

Defining “water resilience”: Debates, concepts, approaches, and gaps

“…A key debate within this work is the question of whether centralized, decentralized or hybrid systems (both physical and institutional) are more likely to contribute to increased resilience and what that might look like in practice. Modeling studies have demonstrated that decentralized rainwater management, including retention, storage, and reuse strategies that are integrated into spatial planning and urban design, can reduce flood risks while simultaneously enhancing freshwater availability (Schuetze & Chelleri, ). Others promote hybrid approaches drawing on both centralized and decentralized models.…”

Framework for Assessing the Rainwater Harvesting Potential of Residential Buildings at a National Level as an Alternative Water Resource for Domestic Water Supply in Taiwan

“…DRWH systems are mainly implemented at a building scale. Various methods exist for calculating water savings and for designing the storage capacity of buildings by setting up DRWH systems [7,[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23].…”

Flood Resilient and Sustainable Urban Regeneration Using the Example of an Industrial Compound Conversion in Seoul, South Korea

“…The decentralized water management systems integrated in the conversion design were based on the new and innovative approaches for the reconstruction of the natural water and nutrient cycle. Rainfall on the IC is managed onsite, including the harvesting, retention, infiltration storage and utilization of rainwater [23][24][25][26]. Wastewater and organic waste produced in the converted IC design is managed and recycled onsite with decentralized technologies and systems.…”