Low-Cost Stormwater Filtration System to Improve Urban Water Quality: The Case of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Urbanization in developing countries often negatively impacts water re-sources by polluting surface waters. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is currently experiencing rapid urbanization accompanied by significant water shortages, unmanaged stormwater, and increasing river water pollution. To supplement the need for non-potable water and address stormwater runoff pollution, we constructed a low cost stormwater filtration system. The filtration system is comprised of a sedimentation area followed by three gravel grain sizes arranged horizontally from coarse to medium to fine filter media. We compared the quality of pretreatment water with post-treatment water by measuring physicochemical parameters, heavy metals and nutrients. We found that the filtration system reduced turbidity by 87%, TSS by 80%, Cu by 87% and Zn by 90%. Further, it positively increased the concentration of DO by 42%. However, the filtration system did not remove nitrates and nitrites. Implementing this system at outfalls in the rapidly expanding condominium housing areas can increase residents’ supply of non-potable water and reduce the amount of polluted stormwater entering nearby streams and rivers.

Planning and Design of Beautiful Countryside Based on the Concept of Stormwater Resilience: A Case Study of Shanbei Village, Yunfu City, Guangdong Province

Shanbei Village is a village in Yunfu of Guangdong,which has been seriously affected by flood disasters.In the context of the construction of beautiful countryside,utilizing the concept of resilience stormwater,construction ideas of beautiful countryside of combining the prevention and control of village flood disasters with economic and social development and cultural heritage are proposed.The planning methods of adjusting the planting way of crops,demolition of dwellings in submerged areas and development and utilization of ancient dwellings,sorting out drainage systems and planning“large,medium and small sponges”,and improving the drainage capacity of culverts are summarized.

Laboratory Study on Stormwater Runoff Treatment via Sand-Based Micron-scale Pore Pervious Paver

Stormwater runoff samples from a road in China were collected and analyzed for pH,TSS(total suspended solid),TDS(total dissolved solid),COD(chemical oxygen demand),TP(total phosphorus),TN(total nitrogen),Pb,Al,Zn,Fe,Cd,and Mn.Results showed that the pollutant concentrations from road runoff were relatively high.TSS and COD concentrations exceeded the Class B effluent requirement of the Chinese Standards of Pollutant Discharge from municipal WWTPs(wastewater treatment plants).COD,TP,and TN concentrations exceeded Class V of the Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for Surface Water.TSS,Zn,Fe,and Al concentrations exceeded the USEPA(U.S.Environmental Protection Agency)benchmark values.All these indicated proper runoff treatment to avoid negative impacts on the environment is needed.Metal partitioning analysis was conducted and it showed that Pb,Al,Zn,Fe,and Mn exist mostly in particulate forms in the runoff.Thus,gravitational settlement and filtration can still be cost-effective methods for removing most of these metals.Runoff samples were treated through two bench-scale laboratory set-ups,composed of micron-scale pore pervious paver systems and subsoil.The average removal rates of TSS,TP,and TN were 95.2%,81.8%,64.1%,and 64.4%,respectively.The removal rates of Pb,Al,Zn,Fe,and Cd also reached 50%-99.2%.The tested sand-based pervious paver has micron-scale pores with good filtration potential.The system can effectively reduce stormwater runoff pollution,thereby reducing the potential for groundwater pollution.In addition,residues and sediments collected from the surfaces of the pervious pavers were also tested.The metallic constituents in the residues and sediments were correlated to these in the runoff.Pb and Cr were low in the residues,but Zn exceeded the Class A limit of the Chinese Control Standard of Pollutants in Sludge for Agricultural Applications.Thus,proper disposal of the solid wastes generated from the pavers is also to be further investigated.

Influence of Physical and Chemical Parameters on the Treatment of Heavy Metals in Polluted Stormwater Using Zeolite—A Review

Zeolite-based technology can provide a cost effective solution for stormwater treatment for the removal of toxic heavy metals under increasing demand of safe water from alternative sources. This paper reviews the currently available knowledge relating to the effect of properties of zeolites such as pore size, surface area and Si:Al ratio and the physico-chemical conditions of the system such as pH, temperature, initial metal concentration and zeolite concentration on heavy metal removal performance. The primary aims are, to consolidate available knowledge and identify knowledge gaps. It was established that an in-depth understanding of operational issues such as, diffusion of metal ions into the zeolite pore structure, pore clogging, zeolite surface coverage by particulates in stormwater as well as the effect of pH on stormwater quality in the presence of zeolites is essential for developing a zeolite-based technology for the treatment of polluted stormwater. The optimum zeolite concentration to treat typical volumes of stormwater and initial heavy metal concentrations in stormwater should also be considered as operational issues in this regard. Additionally, leaching of aluminium and sodium ions from the zeolite structure to solution were identified as key issues requiring further research in the effort to develop cost effective solutions for the removal of heavy metals from stormwater.

Strategies for Enhancing the Efficiency of Bioretention Swales and Basins for Urban Stormwater Management in Temperate Region

Among various schemes to reuse and recycle the limited urban fresh water resources, sustainable urban stormwater management, such as water sensitive urban design and rainwater harvesting, has been recognized as one of the most efficient and economically viable approaches. Storm runoff shall be treated as close as possible to its source before it is reused or discharged into public drainage network or receiving waters to enhance the water environment quality. Bioretention swale/basin, which has been commonly applied to treat runoff from roads, car parks, cyclist and pedestrian paths, rooftops, etc., is recognized to be the most efficient and aesthetic pleasing way to harvest rainwater in urban settings, and other longish shape runoff catchment area. This paper studied over 10 bioretention swales/basins applications in temperate region worldwide covering China, Germany, Norway, Austria, USA, and Australia. Key steps in bioretention swale/basin design and implementation in temperate region were investigated, such as strategic bioretention scheme selection, flow conveyance and hydraulic capacity design, filtering media profile, vegetation scheme selection and maintenance scheme, and suggestion and key design parameters. The critical path and parameters of bioretention swale/basin design which enhanced the effectiveness and efficiency of its application for rainwater harvesting in temperate regions were derived.

On-site stormwater detention for Australian development projects: Does it meet frequent flow management objectives?

On-site stormwater detention (OSD) is a conventional component of urban drainage systems, designed with the intention of mitigating the increase to peak discharge of stormwater runoff that inevitably results from urbanization. In Australia, singular temporal patterns for design storms have governed the inputs of hydrograph generation and in turn the design process of OSD for the last three decades. This paper raises the concern that many existing OSD systems designed using the singular temporal pattern for design storms may not be achieving their stated objectives when they are assessed against a variety of alternative temporal patterns. The performance of twenty real OSD systems was investigated using two methods:(1) ensembles of design temporal patterns prescribed in the latest version of Australian Rainfall and Runoff, and (2) real recorded rainfall data taken from pluviograph stations modeled with continuous simulation. It is shown conclusively that the use of singular temporal patterns is ineffective in providing assurance that an OSD will mitigate the increase to peak discharge for all possible storm events. Ensemble analysis is shown to provide improved results. However, it also falls short of providing any guarantee in the face of naturally occurring rainfall.

Purification of Stormwater Using Sand Filter

Rain water is an important source to feed the groundwater aquifer, whether directly or by harvesting and recharging. The importance of purification is for reducing the risk of pollutants from recharging runoff rainwater. The use of sand filter as a technique considered not expensive and commonly used for removing contaminants from water and wastewater treatment industries. The methodology used laboratory testing, by designing and constructing pilot plant to experiment the sand filter for purification, and made simulation for the infiltration of storm water through sand filter of 2 meters depth, in order to find the relationship between the depth on one hand, and the removal of suspended solids and fecal coliforms bacteria on the other hand, to know the effective depth that gets the purification. The research results during three days of infiltration show that the sand filter can remove fecal coliforms bacteria at a depth of 150 cm, and provide purified water with a concentration of suspended solids less than 20 mg/liter at a depth of 75 cm.

Research on Stormwater Management of Cultural Heritage Ilmpark in Weimar Germany Based on Urban Resilience

With the development of cities, problems like natural and social disasters appeared more and more frequently. For example, rapid urbanization and climate change have caused both increasing flood probability and the severity of flooding. Consequently, there is a need for all cities to develop new strategies to maintain their vitality in numerous challenges and crises. This paper in the first place reviews the concept and research fields of urban resilience;besides, according to the characteristics of the Ilmpark situated in Weimar, This paper analyzes the necessity and potential on stormwater management of this area and then it concludes the alternative strategies of improvement based on the theory of urban resilience.

Phenoxyacid Herbicides in Stormwater Retention Ponds: Urban Inputs

Surface water runoff from urban centers is a major source of environmental pollution which impacts water quality in downstream aquatic habitats. Phenoxyacid herbicides are some of the most widely globally used herbicides in agriculture and urban environments for weed control. Their transformation products which in- clude chlorophenols can be more toxic than the active ingredients. We used LC/MS/MS to analyzed simul- taneously these acid herbicides and their transformation products in stormwater retention ponds taken from an urban environment to examine the occurrence and potential release of these herbicides from urban inputs into downstream waters. 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and mecoprop were detected in all samples col- lected from the ponds and at the highest concentrations, while 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid was de- tected only in spring and summer. Two transformation products, 4-chloro-2-methylphenol and 2,4-di- chlorophenol were detected in samples primarily at inlet locations on the ponds indicating that degradation had occurred in surface soils prior to surface water runoff.

Application of Urban Green Stormwater Infrastructure in Wetland Park Construction

The positive role of urban green stormwater infrastructure(GIS)and wetland park construction in the process of“sponge city”construction is analyzed by expounding the connotation and problems of“sponge city”construction.Through the analysis of relevant cases,the realization approaches of combing different types of GIS with wetland park landscape design are interpreted,and it is pointed out that different types of GIS can guide the further practice of“sponge city”construction.

Stormwater Management Practices and Green-Blue Infrastructure in Urban Areas: an Overview

Water quality,flooding risk,and water consumption in urban areas are emerging issues.Urban impervious surfaces increase stormwater runoff,affecting ecosystems and leading to hydrogeological instability and flooding risk.Sustainable urban design strategies can contribute to counteract the negative impact of anthropic activities both at city-scale and global scale.Green and Blue Infrastructure(GBI)approaches,in particular,are an alternative to stormwater traditional management.In Europe,Sustainable Drainage System implementation copes with impervious surfaces to achieve water quality,amenity,and biodiversity increase.Best Management Practices,developed mainly in the USA,focus on specific measures for sustainable stormwater treatment.Water Sensitive Urban Design,spread in Australia and England,also aims to minimise the impact of developed areas preventing flood risk,limiting water consumption and enhancing environmental quality.In the USA and Canada,Low Impact Development offers design strategies to manage runoff and deliver structural practices to mimic predevelopment processes of infiltration,filtration and detention.

Applying the Parameter“Irreducible Concentration”in Modelling of Stormwater Treatment Facilities

To design stormwater treatment facilities (STFs), we recommend the use of a model that should include the calculation of runoff quality, to be based on a detailed land use specification, include site-specific design parameters, calculated outflow concentrations and loads of specified pollutants of relevance for the receiving water. This study compiles minimum outflow concentrations from stormwater databases of different types of STFs (e.g. swales, wet ponds, wetlands, biofilters and underground retention basins with filters). These data are used for the suggested values of specific “irreducible concentrations” (Cirr). Suggested Cirr for phosphorus (P) varies from 20-82 μg/L depending on facility type, for copper (Cu) 1.1-3.7 g/L, for zinc (Zn) 2.0-17 μg/L and for total suspended solids (TSS) 2,900-5,700 μg/L. Corresponding data for 70 substances are compiled in the StormTac database and employed in the model StormTac Web. Cirr has significant impact regarding the choice of facility type and its calculated dimensions. This design parameter and the calculated outflow concentrations can be used to investigate the need for combined serial facilities or complemented design elements with more planted vegetation or installed filters. Such elements can be required to decrease Cirr and thereby reach project specific limit outflow concentrations and loads.

Stormwater Quality Characteristics and Reuse Analysis of Different Underlying Surfaces at Wanzhou North Station

In response to the water shortage in Wanzhou North Station(WNS),the authors investigated the stormwater quality characteristics with different underlying surfaces of WNS and carried out stormwater reuse analysis in conjunction with the InfoWorks ICM model.The results show that during heavy,torrential,and moderate rainfall,the road stormwater runoff has the highest concentrations of pollutants,with an average EMC(event mean concentration)value of 206 mg/L for COD.For the square runoff,the average EMC values of COD,SS,TN,and TP are 108 mg/L,395 mg/L,2.113 mg/L,and 0.128 mg/L,in comparison,the average EMC values of the corresponding indexes for the roof runoff are 65 mg/L,212 mg/L,1.449 mg/L,and 0.086 mg/L,respectively,demonstrating their potential for reuse.The R2(coefficient of determination)of SS and COD in both roof and square runoff are greater than 0.85,with a good correlation,indicating that SS removal is the key to stormwater purification.InfoWorks ICM analysis shows that the recyclable volume of rainwater from WNS in 2018 is 29,410 m3,accounting for 61.8%of the total annual rainfall.This study is expected to provide an ideal reference for the stormwater management of public buildings in mountainous areas.

First flush of storm runoff pollution from an urban catchment in China

Storm runoff pollution process was investigated in an urban catchment with an area of 1.3 km^2 in Wuhan City of China. The results indicate that the pollutant concentration peaks preceded the flow peaks in all of 8 monitored storm events. The intervals between pollution peak and flow peak were shorter in the rain events with higher intensity in the initial period than those with lower intensity. The fractions of pollution load transported by the first 30% of runoff volume （FF30） were 52.2%-72.1% for total suspended solids （TSS）, 53.0%-65.3% for chemical oxygen demand （COD）, 40.4%-50.6% for total nitrogen （TN）, and 45.8%-63.2% for total phosphorus （TP）, respectively. Runoff pollution was positively related to non-raining days before the rainfall. Intercepting the first 30% of runoff volume can remove 62.4% of TSS load, 59.4% of COD load, 46.8% of TN load, and 54.1% of TP load, respectively, according to all the storm events. It is suggested that controlling the first flush is a critical measure in reduction of urban stormwater pollution.

Pollutant loads of surface runoff in Wuhan City Zoo, an urban tourist area

The pollutant loads of surface runoff in an urban tourist area have been investigated for two years in the Wuhan City Zoo, China. Eight sampling sites, including two woodlands, three animal yards, two roofs and one road, were selected for sampling and study. The results indicate that pollutants ranked in a predictable order of decreasing load （e.g. animal yard〉roof〉woodland〉road）, with animal yards acting as the key pollution source in the zoo. Pollutants were transported mainly by particulate form in runoff. Particulate nitrogen and particulate phosphorous accounted on average for 61%, 78% of total pollutant, respectively, over 13 monitored rainfall events. These results indicate the treatment practices should be implemented to improve particulate nutrient removal. Analysis of the M（V） curve indicate that no first flush effect existed in the surface runoff from pervious areas （e.g. woodland, animal ground yard）, whereas a first flush effect was evident in runoff from impervious surfaces （e.g. animal cement yard, roof, road）.

Total pollution effect of urban surface runoff

For pollution research with regard to urban surface runoff, most sampling strategies to date have focused on differences in land usage. With single land-use sampling, total surface runoff pollution effect cannot be evaluated unless every land usage spot is monitored. Through a new sampling strategy known as mixed stormwater sampling for a street community at discharge outlet adjacent to river, this study assessed the total urban surface runoff pollution effect caused by a variety of land uses and the pollutants washed off from the rain pipe system in the Futian River watershed in Shenzhen City of China. The water quality monitoring indices were COD （chemical oxygen demand）, TSS （total suspend solid）, TP （total phosphorus）, TN （total nitrogen） and BOD （biochemical oxygen demand）. The sums of total pollution loads discharged into the river for the four indices of COD, TSS, TN, and TP over all seven rainfall events were very different. The mathematical model for simulating total pollution loads was established from discharge outlet mixed stormwater sampling of total pollution loads on the basis of four parameters： rainfall intensity, total land area, impervious land area, and pervious land area. In order to treat surface runoff pollution, the values of MFF30 （mass first flush ratio） and FF30 （first 30% of runoff volume） can be considered as split-flow control criteria to obtain more effective and economical design of structural BMPs （best management practices） facilities.

Layout effects and optimization of runoff storage and filtration facilities based on SWMM simulation in a demonstration area

The layout effects and optimization of runoff storage and filtration facilities are crucial to the efficiency and management of the cost of runoff control, but related research is still lacking. In this study, scenarios with different layouts were simulated using the storm water management model(SWMM), to investigate the layout effects on control efficiency with different precipitations. In a rainfall event with 50 mm of precipitation in two hours, 1820 scenarios with different layouts of four facilities constructed in 16 sub-catchments were simulated, the reduction rates of internal flow presented a standard deviation of 10.9%, and the difference between the maximum and minimum reduction rates reached59.7%. Based on weighting analysis, an integrated ranking index was obtained and used to determine the optimal layout scenarios considering different rainfall events. In the optimal scenario(storage and filtration facilities constructed in sub-catchments 14, 12, 7, and 2), the reduction rates of the total outflow reached 31.4%, 26.4%, and 14.7%, respectively, with 30, 50, and 80 mm of precipitation. The reduction rate of the internal outflow reached 95% with 50 mm of precipitation and approximately 56% with 80 mm of precipitation.

Plant Traits for Phytoremediation in the Tropics

Water is a limited and valuable resource.Singapore has four national sources of water supply,one of which is natural precipitation.Pollutants collected in stormwater runoff are deposited into drainage systems and reservoirs.Major nutrient pollutants found in local stormwater runoff include nitrate and phosphate,which may cause eutrophication.Bioretention systems are efficient in removing these pollutants in the presence of plants.This paper discusses plant traits that can enhance the phytoremediation of nutrient pollutants in stormwater runoff for application in bioretention systems.The plant species studied showed variations in chlorophyll florescence,leaf greenness,biomass production,and nitrate and phosphate removal.In general,dry biomass was moderately correlated to nitrate and phosphate removal(r=0.339–0.501).Root,leaf,and total dry biomass of the native tree species showed a moderate to strong correlation with nitrate removal(r=0.811,0.657,and 0.727,respectively).Leaf dry biomass of fastgrowing plants also showed a moderate to strong relationship with the removal of both pollutants(r=0.707 and 0.609,respectively).Root dry biomass of slow-growing plants showed a strong relationship with phosphate removal(r=0.707),but the correlation was weaker for nitrate removal(r=0.557).These results are valuable for choosing plants for application in bioretention systems.

Assessing Watershed Vulnerability in Bernalillo County, New Mexico Using GIS-Based Fuzzy Inference

Watershed vulnerability was assessed for Bernalillo County, New Mexico using a multi-criteria Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) implemented in a Geographic Information System (GIS). A vulnerability map was produced by means of a weighted overlay analysis that combined soil erosion and infiltration maps derived from the FIS methodology. Five vulnerability classes were stipulated in the model: not vulnerable (N), slightly vulnerable (SV), moderately vulnerable (MV), highly vulnerable (HV), and extremely vulnerable (EV). The results indicate that about 88% of the study area is susceptible to slight (SV) to moderate vulnerability (MV), with 11% of the area subject to experience high or extreme vulnerability (HV/EV). For land use and land cover (LULC) classifications, shrub land was identified to experience the most vulnerability. Weighted overlay output compared similarly with the results predicted by Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model with the exception of the not vulnerable (N) class. The eastern portion of the county was identified as most vulnerable due to its high slope and high precipitation. Herein, structural stormwater control measures (SCMs) may be viable for managing runoff and sediment transport offsite. This multi-criteria FIS/GIS approach can provide useful information to guide decision makers in selection of suitable structural and non-structural SCMs for the arid Southwest.