Management of sustainable urban drainage pond systems

Researchers at Bradford University, UK, are working on a pilot plant to develop design and management guidelines to operate stormwater pond systems. The pilot plant site is a domestic property where water runoff from the roof feeds a planted attenuation wetland. If the wetland structure overflows, the treated stormwater is transferred to a dry pond planted with macrophyte species. The outflow water quality of the attenuation wetland was acceptable for drainage for recycling. Public acceptance of such stormwater ponds was examined. A sustainability analysis identified low economic and technical risks as well as high environmental and social benefits.