Wastewater for resilient 21st century cities

Abstract

Retrofitting cities with decentralised wastewater infrastructure.

Combined waste and storm water infrastructure causes water pollution in urban streams. The project explores how to retool the existing 19th century combined waste and storm water infrastructure which pollutes the waterways with untreated sewage during flood events.

Design to explore and redevelop the cities aging infrastructure to improve the water resilience of cities. A new smart neighbourhood infrastructure with supporting natural landscapes is the key focus. The research exploration considers how new technology could adapt a new wastewater infrastructure model for cities applied in a neighbourhood water infrastructure precinct. Recycling potable or fit for purpose water from the combined waste and stormwater network. This alternative wastewater system is considered for a macro, city wide or micro neighbourhood application. Developed into a new synergistic buddy wastewater management system decentralised and distributed nodes around parks.

A development strategy around parks, using clustered neighbourhoods at node points.

The Resilience strategy with sustainability principles explores the “zero waste” approach to resource use, recycling waste-water in the neighbourhood. Additionally low impact design principles are used as wastewater infrastructure doesn’t use low impact design. The exploration considers how new water purification technology can be fitted into the traditional wastewater infrastructure network. The key is the use of a ecological cyborg designed to purify and reuse the wastewater from the combined waste and stormwater infrastructure.

The test case for a new urban city form.

Term

Ecological Cyborg is defined as integrated technology and ecology which extends the limitations of man made systems by integrating with non man made systems (Reed, Lister, 2013).