BEST PRACTICES GUIDE - Management of Inflow and Infiltration in New Urban Developments
Figure 9. Connections of stormwater drains to sanitary sewer systems on private property are not explicitly prohibited in building codes, and these can overload sanitary sewer systems during extreme weather events when accumulations of runoff overwhelm these drains and subsequently the sanitary sewer system that receives these unforeseen inflows.
Integrated Water Resources Management One of the significant observations made during the course of this study is the number and variety of legislation, authorities having jurisdiction, and levels of government involved with the management of water resources. Seldom do the jurisdictional boundaries coincide with watersheds, and rarely are the operational responsibilities harmonized to deal with water inputs and outputs holistically. There is an emerging awareness that this fractionation of responsibilities often leads to gaps and contradictions in water resources management practices and policies. The following definitions are useful in bringing important challenges into sharper focus. ! Watershed is the area of land that contributes runoff to a lake, river, stream, wetland, estuary, or bay. Integrated watershed management is the comprehensive process of balancing water and land use planning within a watershed to promote sustainable social, ecological and economic outcomes. The watershed is considered an effective planning unit because it represents a boundary within which all ecological activities are sustained by the watershed. ! Integrated water resources management: The management of all water within a watershed taking into account all impacts on water quality and quantity. From a municipality’s perspective, this includes drinking water, wastewater, stormwater and natural water courses and any infrastructure or operational services necessary to provide sustainability of the watershed. By taking these definitions into serious consideration, it is possible to formulate better legislation, policies, guidelines and protocols for the development of land and the stewardship of precious water resources. It is now obvious end of the pipe solutions are failing and there is a growing recognition that "going with the flow" is the only sustainable path to our common future.
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