TY - JOUR
T1 - Integrated modelling of stormwater treatment systems uptake
AU - Castonguay, A. C.
AU - Iftekhar, M. S.
AU - Urich, C.
AU - Bach, P. M.
AU - Deletic, A.
PY - 2018/10/1
Y1 - 2018/10/1
N2 - Nature-based solutions provide a variety of benefits in growing cities, ranging from stormwater treatment to amenity provision such as aesthetics. However, the decision-making process involved in the installation of such green infrastructure is not straightforward, as much uncertainty around the location, size, costs and benefits impedes systematic decision-making. We developed a model to simulate decision rules used by local municipalities to install nature-based stormwater treatment systems, namely constructed wetlands, ponds/basins and raingardens. The model was used to test twenty-four scenarios of policy-making, by combining four asset selection, two location selection and three budget constraint decision rules. Based on the case study of a local municipality in Metropolitan Melbourne, Australia, the modelled uptake of stormwater treatment systems was compared with attributes of real-world systems for the simulation period. Results show that the actual budgeted funding is not reliable to predict systems’ uptake and that policy-makers are more likely to plan expenditures based on installation costs. The model was able to replicate the cumulative treatment capacity and the location of systems. As such, it offers a novel approach to investigate the impact of using different decision rules to provide environmental services considering biophysical and economic factors.
AB - Nature-based solutions provide a variety of benefits in growing cities, ranging from stormwater treatment to amenity provision such as aesthetics. However, the decision-making process involved in the installation of such green infrastructure is not straightforward, as much uncertainty around the location, size, costs and benefits impedes systematic decision-making. We developed a model to simulate decision rules used by local municipalities to install nature-based stormwater treatment systems, namely constructed wetlands, ponds/basins and raingardens. The model was used to test twenty-four scenarios of policy-making, by combining four asset selection, two location selection and three budget constraint decision rules. Based on the case study of a local municipality in Metropolitan Melbourne, Australia, the modelled uptake of stormwater treatment systems was compared with attributes of real-world systems for the simulation period. Results show that the actual budgeted funding is not reliable to predict systems’ uptake and that policy-makers are more likely to plan expenditures based on installation costs. The model was able to replicate the cumulative treatment capacity and the location of systems. As such, it offers a novel approach to investigate the impact of using different decision rules to provide environmental services considering biophysical and economic factors.
KW - Agent-based modelling
KW - Cost-benefit analysis
KW - Exploratory modelling
KW - Urban water management
KW - Water infrastructure planning
KW - Water sensitive urban design
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85048128249&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.watres.2018.05.037
DO - 10.1016/j.watres.2018.05.037
M3 - Article
C2 - 29890478
AN - SCOPUS:85048128249
VL - 142
SP - 301
EP - 312
JO - Water Research
JF - Water Research
SN - 0043-1354
ER -