Sustainability criteria for the design of stormwater drainage systems for the 21st century

This paper proposes a new approach to the design of stormwater drainage using sustainability indicators to provide a total measure of system performance rather than looking only at design criteria to meet a minimum level of service. This methodology can apply to all aspects of sustainability, but this paper focuses on indicators to measure the hydraulic performance and treatment effectiveness of stormwater drainage systems. The paper outlines the methodology, the relevance of the indicators and the tools developed. The paper then discusses the application of the methodology and results for the Elvetham Heath drainage system. This work was carried out as part of the EPSRC funded WaND (Water cycle management for New Developments) project, which completed in December 2007.