Water Sensitive Urban Design

Guidelines

1 July 2002

Hobsons Bay City Council, Brimbank

City Council & Wyndham City Council

76P051A - R01bP051A Rev B

M01378

A Partnership between PPK E&I Pty Ltd and

Parsons Brinckerhoff International (Australia) Pty Ltd

Parsons Brinckerhoff Companies

PPK Environment & Infrastructure [2002]

This document is the property of PPK Environment & Infrastructure ("PPK"). This document and the information contained in it are
solely for the use of the authorised recipient and this document may not be used, copied or reproduced in whole or part for any
purpose other than that for which it was supplied by PPK. PPK makes no representation, undertakes no duty and accepts no
responsibility to any third party who may use or rely upon this document or the information contained in it.
Author:

John Downs

Reviewer:

Robert Davies

Approved by: Robert Davies

Signed:

...............................................................

Date:

1 July 2002

Distribution: Hobsons Bay City Council, Brimbank City Council, Wyndham City Council, J Downs, PPK Library

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Water Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines

Contents
Page Number

1. Introduction

2. Public Open Space

2.1

Constructed Wetlands

2.2

Detention Basins

2.3

Infiltration Basins

3. Housing Layout

4. Water Reuse

10

4.1

Rainwater Tanks

10

4.2

Greywater Reuse

10

5. Road Layout and Streetscape

11

5.1

Porous Pavements

11

5.2

Modular Pavements

12

5.3

Grass Swales

13

5.4

Filter Strips

13

5.5

Infiltration Trenches

14

5.6

Sand Filters

15

6. Conclusion

16

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Contents

Water Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines

(continued)
Page Number

List of Figures
Figure 1.1:
Figure 1.2:
Figure 2.1:
Figure 2.2:
Figure 2.3:
Figure 2.4:
Figure 2.5:
Figure 3.1:
Figure 3.2:
Figure 5.1:
Figure 5.2:
Figure 5.3:
Figure 5.4:
Figure 5.5:
Figure 5.6:
Figure 5.7:

Runoff Changes with Increasing Urbanisation

Changes in Runoff Characteristics with Urbanisation
Waterways and Public Open Space
Constructed Wetland
Detention Basin
Use of Detention Basins
Infiltration Basin
Preferred Housing Layout
Alternative Housing Layouts
Alternative Streetscape Designs
Porous Pavements
Modular Pavements
Grass Swale
Filter Strip
Infiltration Trench
Sand Filter

1
2
4
5
6
6
7
8
9
11
12
12
13
13
14
15

Appendices
Appendix A

Further Reading and Resources

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1.

Water Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines

Introduction
The degradation of stormwater receiving environments, such as lakes, waterways and
Port Phillip Bay from polluted urban stormwater is becoming an increasingly important
consideration in both the management of existing urban areas and in the design and
construction of new urban development. One of the emerging trends in best practice
urban stormwater management is the implementation of water sensitive urban design
(WSUD) principles. They aim to improve the quality of stormwater flowing into
receiving waters, such as waterways, lakes and dams, through a range of measures to
reduce the volume of stormwater runoff and remove pollutants before they are
deposited into those receiving environments.
These WSUD Guidelines are intended as a resource for Council officers, developers,
landowners and permit applicants. They provide specific techniques which can be
incorporated in subdivision and development designs to address issues of stormwater
quality.
Stormwater is rainfall and runoff from activities such as street cleansing, irrigation and
other sources, which enters our drainage systems and, ultimately, our rivers and bays.
Traditional urban development dramatically increases the area of impervious surfaces
which decreases infiltration into the soil and increases runoff into constructed
stormwater drains as shown in Figure 1.1.
Figure 1.1: Runoff Changes with Increasing Urbanisation

The increase in impervious surfaces not only increases the volume of stormwater
runoff after a rainfall event but also dramatically alters the flow characteristics
associated with the catchment. Heavily urbanised catchments experience greater peak
stormwater flows after rainfall than more natural catchments and these peaks occur

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over shorter timeframes than those of natural catchments. This is illustrated in Figure
1.2 below.
Figure 1.2: Changes in Runoff Characteristics with Urbanisation

Traditional urban developments have treated stormwater as a waste product which

needed to be disposed of quickly and efficiently. The solutions to improving water
quality have focused on engineered solutions that are largely end of pipe and can be
visually unattractive, obtrusive and take up valuable public open space.
Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) offers an alternative approach to our traditional
drainage network techniques in the management and treatment of stormwater. It
recognises that water is a valuable resource and aims to integrate a range of water
management techniques within urban areas. WSUD aims to facilitate the conveyance
of stormwater runoff and protect receiving environments while minimising water use
and maximising water recycling in urban areas. This is achieved by managing the
water balance of the catchment, maintaining and enhancing the quality of stormwater,
encouraging water conservation and maintaining environmental, recreational, cultural
and aesthetic values.
The Goals and Principles of WSUD
The overall goals of water sensitive urban design are to:
preserve existing topographic and natural features, including watercourses and
wetlands;
protect surface water and groundwater resources; and
integrate public open space with stormwater drainage corridors, maximising
public access, passive recreational activities and visual amenity.
The broad principles of water sensitive urban design include:
minimising impervious areas;
minimising use of formal drainage systems (eg. pipes);
encouraging infiltration (where appropriate);
protecting existing vegetation, particularly riparian vegetation; and

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encouraging the reuse of stormwater.

These principles can be adopted at a range of development scales, including:
the overall extent of proposed development areas;
the road and block layout with a development; and
the specific development forms on individual blocks.
This document provides guidelines on the range of water sensitive urban design
principles that may be incorporated when planning and designing new developments
or when redeveloping existing urban areas. It aims to provide developers, consultants
and managers with tools to enable them to meet water sensitive urban design
objectives.
The document does not address engineered structures such as sediment or gross
pollutant traps (litter traps), or chemical treatment measures which can be used in
conjunction with the techniques described in these guidelines. WSUD techniques
focus on minimising the volume and improving the quality of stormwater runoff that is
ending up in the stormwater drainage system. Engineered solutions attempt to
improve the quality of the water, without reducing volumes, once the water is in the
stormwater drainage system. There are a variety of information resources available on
the various types on engineered solutions available to complement the WSUD
techniques described in these guidelines, including A Manual for Managing Urban
Stormwater Quality in Western Australia produced by the Waters and Rivers
Commission (1998).

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2.

Water Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines

Public Open Space

The use of public open space for treating urban stormwater can be achieved using a
number of techniques that not only perform their primary role in treating stormwater
but can also create an attractive water feature and fauna habitat that can also increase
recreational amenity and adjacent real estate values. Some of the treatments that can
be used include wetlands and various types of detention basins. These can either be
permanently or seasonally wet depending on the sources of runoff and the types of
stormwater flows. Other considerations include the secondary role of the water feature
in the function of the public open space. Using a variety of WSUD techniques in the
design and development of public open space can encourage a greater use of these
areas and increase their value to the community. The options for the management of
stormwater drainage are illustrated in Figure 2.1 below.
Figure 2.1: Waterways and Public Open Space

2.1

Constructed Wetlands
Constructed wetlands are generally landscape features that incorporate both ponded
water and aquatic vegetation. Wetlands are a highly desirable option where multiple
benefits are the desirable outcome as they can provide both stormwater treatment and
good quality habitat as well as a highly visually attractive landscape feature. They can
also be used for community education programs or community stormwater reuse
programs if properly designed.

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Wetlands are most effective at removing sediment and nutrients from the stormwater
but are also able to remove a range of other pollutants such as oxygen depleting
materials, oils and grease and other pathogens. Wetlands are also highly effective at
removing litter from stormwater but this is not a desirable function as it can adversely
impact on the visual attractiveness of the wetland and reduce its effectiveness in
treating other types of pollutants in the stormwater.
Wetlands do need a reliable and regular source of water and are suited to larger
catchments. They may also require a large amount of land area depending on the size
of the catchment and are unsuitable for steep sites.
Figure 2.2: Constructed Wetland

2.2

Detention Basins
The purpose of detention basins is to store stormwater for a number of days and allow
some of the attached sediment to settle out and be deposited in the basin. It can also
be used as a flood retardation measure and also provide an attractive landscape feature
when constructed as an ornamental lake. With the addition of some fringing
vegetation, detention basins can also remove nutrients from the stormwater and can
also provide a habitat to some waterbirds such as ducks and swans.
Detention basins can require a large area of land such as that found in public open
spaces and are generally unsuitable for steep sites and unstable slopes but are
applicable on steeper sites than constructed wetlands. They have potential for
integration into stormwater reuse schemes.

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Figure 2.3: Detention Basin

Detention Basin
Detention basins can be incorporated into appropriate locations within conventional
subdivisions as shown below in Figure 2.4 and can be included in existing
developments where a suitable location of adequate size is available.
Figure 2.4: Use of Detention Basins

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2.3

Water Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines

Infiltration Basins
Infiltration basins are generally grassed depressions along seasonal drainage lines that
receive and store stormwater during storm events. The stormwater captured in the
infiltration basin is allowed to slowly infiltrate through the soil profile. This reduces
runoff rates and volumes downstream and removes sediments and nutrients from the
stormwater system.
This method of stormwater treatment is most appropriate in areas with highly
permeable soils such as sands where the infiltration rates are high or in areas with high
evaporation rates.
During dry periods, the grassed area that forms the base of the basin can be used for
general recreational purposes, creating a valuable community asset.
Figure 2.5: Infiltration Basin

Infiltration Basin

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3.

Water Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines

Housing Layout
The layout of housing in residential areas and of buildings in general can create a
range of potential options for improving the quality of stormwater flowing into the
receiving environments as well as improving the recreational and visual amenity of the
area.
The primary focus of designing housing layouts to facilitate water sensitive urban
design is to work with the natural landscape where possible and design the housing
layout, including streets and walkways around it. The layout of the development
should be sympathetic to the natural environment and use landscape features such as
existing drainage lines, depressions and waterways as landscape features that will also
provide opportunities for stormwater treatment. These features should be reserved as
part of the public open space network for the development and can be developed
using a variety of techniques, particularly those listed in Section 2 above. An example
of a desirable housing layout is illustrated in Figure 3.1 below.
Figure 3.1: Preferred Housing Layout

With good design and a greater focus on community open space, it may be possible to
reduce the size of residential blocks or to develop houses in clusters which focus on
central water features located in public open space. This water feature should be
designed to not only improve the quality of the stormwater flowing from the
development but also to provide a visual and recreational focus to the area and to
provide a valuable wildlife habitat. Ideally, houses should face the community open
space to create an improved sense of community ownership and to potentially reduce
the occurrence of illegal activities such as dumping and vandalism. An example of this
is illustrated in Figures 3.2 below.

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Figure 3.2: Alternative Housing Layouts

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4.

Water Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines

Water Reuse
One of the key objectives of WSUD is to encourage water conservation and to
facilitate the best use of the available water therefore reducing the demand for outside
supply. There are a number of ways to conserve water and reduce the amount of
water from urban areas that needs to be disposed of including simple measures such as
the installation of dual flush toilet systems and water saving shower roses. There are
also a two measures that can be implemented to make the best use of water on the
site.

4.1

Rainwater Tanks
Stormwater from the rooftops of buildings makes up a high proportion of the volume
of runoff water from urban areas. The installation of on site rainwater tanks for all
properties will dramatically reduce runoff volumes and decrease the frequency of
flooding in urban areas. The water collected in rainwater tanks can later be used for
garden watering and other non-potable uses.

4.2

Greywater Reuse
Greywater is all waste water draining from a house except for toilet wastes. The reuse
of domestic greywater for garden watering one method to reduce the volume of waste
water entering sewerage systems and reduce the demand for treated water for garden
watering purposes. The reuse of greywater does have a number of limiting factors,
particularly in an urban context given that it contains a variety of bacteria and other
contaminants.
If it is intended to use untreated greywater for garden watering, it should be used
promptly, preferably within 24 hours. There are a number of other precautions that
need to be taken when watering plants, particularly fruit and vegetables, and it is
important that the water be applied directly to the soil rather than through sprinkler
systems.
Treated greywater can be stored for longer periods once the bacteria have been killed.
This will require the installation of additional equipment to physically and chemically
treat the greywater and associated maintenance and expense. It should also consider
how much greywater will be treated and what it will be used for making it less
desirable within urban areas than the reuse of rainwater flowing from rooftops of
buildings.

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5.

Water Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines

Road Layout and Streetscape

There are a number of methods available when designing and constructing road
networks, particularly in residential areas, which reduces the volume and improves the
quality of runoff. These methods can include:
Porous pavements;
Modular pavements;
Grass swales and filter strips; and
Infiltration trenches and sand filters.
These techniques can be used in combination with small local retarding basins to gain
a streetscape such as that illustrated in Figure 5.1 below and can either be used in
isolation or in combination with other engineered techniques such as oil and grit
separators or gross pollutant traps.
Figure 5.1: Alternative Streetscape Designs

5.1

Porous Pavements
Porous paving is most useful on reasonably flat areas that are not subjected to heavy
traffic loads such as car parks, driveways and lightly used roads. They decrease the
volume of stormwater runoff by allowing water to infiltrate through the soil profile and
decrease runoff velocities. This can be achieved through a variety of methods
illustrated in Figure 5.2 below.
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Figure 5.2: Porous Pavements

Concrete Block

Asphalt

Porous Concrete

Concrete
Blocks
Sand
Geotextile
Clean
Stone

Geotextile or Impermeable Membrane

According to Soil Conditions

From: Waters and Rivers Commission, (1998)

5.2

Modular Pavements
Modular pavements consist of a network of pavers that are regularly interspersed with
voids that are filled with highly porous materials such as gravel, sand or grass. The
benefits and limitation of modular pavers is similar to porous pavement described in
Section 5.1 above. They can be in a number of forms such as those illustrated in
Figure 5.3 below.
Figure 5.3: Modular Pavements

Poured in Place Slab

Castellated Unit

Lattice Unit
From: Waters and Rivers Commission, (1998)
While the installation of modular pavements is more expensive than traditional
bitumen surfacing, by increasing the amount of water infiltration and reducing the
volume of stormwater runoff, the infrastructure costs associated with stormwater

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drainage systems may be reduced due to the decreased volumes that need to be
carried.

5.3

Grass Swales
Grass swales provide an alternative to concrete kerb and channel for conveying runoff
from roads and other impervious areas. Grass swales are open grass lined channels
that may also have small mounds or barriers at regular intervals to reduce runoff
velocities to prevent erosion. Swales can reduce runoff velocities and increase
infiltration rates and remove sediments from stormwater runoff. While swales require
more area than concrete kerb and channel, they have a greater visual appeal,
Figure 5.4: Grass Swale

particularly if they are properly landscaped. They can also act as an important pre
treatment mechanism before the stormwater flow into one of the larger treatment
mechanisms detailed in Section 2. An example of the application of a grass swale in a
residential area is illustrated in Figure 5.4.

5.4

Filter Strips
Filter strips or buffer strips are vegetated areas that treat overland flow before flowing
into a receiving environment such as a creek or river. The stormwater runoff velocity
is reduced and the level of infiltration is increased which removes a range of attached
and dissolved pollutants. Filter strips are most commonly used as part of the riparian
environments of natural waterways with a mix of understorey and overstorey
vegetation as illustrated in Figure 5.5 below. Council can provide advice on
appropriate planting schemes for your area.
Figure 5.5: Filter Strip

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5.5

Water Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines

Infiltration Trenches
Infiltration trenches are shallow trenches filled with highly permeable materials such as
gravel or sand which collect runoff from hard surfaces such as roads or carparks. In
areas with soils with low infiltration rates such as heavy clay soils, a porous drainage
pipe can be installed in the bottom of the trench and connected to the stormwater
drainage system if required.
Infiltration trenches can be used instead of grass swales where higher levels of
infiltration are required and if properly landscaped, can be an attractive streetscape
element.
Figure 5.6 illustrates an example of the application of an infiltration trench.
Figure 5.6: Infiltration Trench

Filter Strip
Directly Abuts
Pavement

Dripline of Tree
Should not
Extend over Trench
Berm (Grassed)
Slotted Curbs act
as Level Spreader

Slope of
Parking Lot

Trench
Protective Filter
Cloth Filter
Storm Drain
(if Partial Exfiltration)

Slotted Curb Spacers

Plan

Sand Filter

Cross Section

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5.6

Water Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines

Sand Filters
Sand filters are a variation of the infiltration trench principle and can be used to treat
runoff from hard surfaces such as car parks. An example of the structure of a sand filter
is illustrated in Figure 5.7 below. The filter consists of a grassed top layer overlying a
sand layer that filters the pollutants from the stormwater. The base layer is a highly
permeable material such as coarse gravel with porous pipe that is connected to the
stormwater system. Filter fabric is used to prevent the filtering down of fine sediments
that may cause clogging or blocking of the filtering system separates the various layers.
Providing proper maintenance and mowing, the area containing the sand filter can be
used as public open space or be an attractive streetscape element.
Figure 5.7: Sand Filter
Grass Cover

Storage Depth

Topsoil
Filter Fabric

Sand

Subsoil Pipe
Gravel

Impermeable Liner

From: Waters and Rivers Commission, (1998)

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6.

Water Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines

Conclusion
By implementing a combination of the treatments discussed above, it is possible to
improve the quality of stormwater flowing from urban areas into our waterways and
Port Phillip Bay and also help create a living environment that is more visually
attractive with greater recreational amenity and which can also provide an improved
habitat for native wildlife.
While individual measures can be implemented and have a positive impact on
stormwater quality, combining the treatment measures in a series is the most effective
way of having a positive impact in reducing the volume of stormwater runoff and
improving the quality of the runoff but can also have additional benefits such as
reducing the cost of the construction and maintenance of infrastructure and the
demands on reticulated water supply within the area.

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Appendix A
Further Reading and Resources

1. Australian Water Association, We All Use Water: A users guide to water and wastewater
management, brochure series, NSW.
2. CSIRO, (1999), Urban Stormwater Best Practice Environmental Management Guidelines,
Chapter 5: Water Sensitive Urban Design, CSIRO Publishing, Victoria.
3. EPA Victoria, http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/Programs/Stormwater/, 19/12/01.
4. Melbourne Water, http://www.conservewater.melbournewater.com.au/, 19/12/01.
5. NSW EPA, (1998), Managing Urban Stormwater: Source Control Water Sensitive Urban
Design
(Part
E)
Draft,
NSW
EPA
Stormwater
Trust,
NSW,
http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/stormwater/docs.htm, 14/12/01.
6. Warrington, P. D., (2000, March), Best Management Practices to Protect Water Quality:
Urban, http://www.nalms.org/bclss/urban.html, 13/12/01.
7. Waters and Rivers Commission, (1998), A Manual for Managing Urban Stormwater Quality
in Western Australia, The Information Centre: Waters and Rivers Commission, Western
Australia, http://www.wrc.wa.gov.au/public/WSUD_manual, 09/01/02.