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Water sensitive urban design (WSUD)

Water sensitive urban design (WSUD) emphasises a holistic approach to water management with the aim of achieving multiple objectives, including:

  • Protection of natural aquatic ecosystems
  • Integration of stormwater treatment into the landscape
  • Protection of water quality
  • Reduction of run-off and peak flows

Designers, civil engineers and urban forest managers alike are considering the advantages of applying onsite stormwater retention measures to defer capital expenditure on upgrades of existing drainage infrastructure and to optimise the benefits of trees in our towns and cities.

Permeable paving infiltrates stormwater into the road subgrade at the intersection of Kegworth and Wheaton Roads in Melrose Park, South Australia. As part of a broader treatment, this solution cost $1M less than the alternative option of upgrading the pit and pipe network.

The TREENET Inlet (by Space Down Under), is an example of a WSUD device; it was designed to direct stormwater from roads into what is often the driest zone in the urban environment, the ‘nature strip’.
By providing water via soakage devices in the nature strip, TREENET Inlets may guide root growth to these zones and so reduce root damage to kerbs and footpaths, possibly resulting in financial savings on infrastructure maintenance and renewal.

Check out the following resources which have been extracted from TREENET’s significant collection of academic papers and case studies:

TREENET acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.
We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

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