Transitioning to a waterways city: municipal context, capacity and commitment

Morison, P.J., Brown, R.R., and Cocklin, C. (2010) Transitioning to a waterways city: municipal context, capacity and commitment. Water Science & Technology, 62 (1). pp. 162-171.

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Abstract

In Melbourne, Australia, the adoption of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) and the inclusion of best practice in new urban development has shifted the "drained city" of the 1960s toward an environmentally-oriented "waterways city" for the future. However, the "waterways city" is tenuous owing to the variable commitment of local municipalities to WSUD. This paper reports on the first phase of a social research project, which aims to secure a model of the waterways city by addressing the commitment and capacity deficits of local municipalities. Municipal commitment and capacity across three geographical areas in Melbourne are measured quantitatively using an innovative, comprehensive, and replicable assessment technique. The results show variability in municipal capacity and commitment across the areas, with a pronounced deficit in the rural-regional area. Consequently, intergovernmental attempts to normalise modes of integrated urban water management (such as WSUD) need to include innovative and flexible mechanisms that are responsivle to the dynamics of municipal commitment and capacity. These principles have broader application to cities internationally where the management of urban stormwater is the shared responsibility of multiple governments.

Item ID: 11738
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1996-9732
Keywords: Australia, capacity, commitment, intergovernmental program, Melbourne, municipality, urban stormwater management, water sensitive urban design
Funders: MELBOURNE WATER CORPORATION
Date Deposited: 17 Sep 2010 05:57
FoR Codes: 05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050209 Natural Resource Management @ 34%
16 STUDIES IN HUMAN SOCIETY > 1604 Human Geography > 160404 Urban and Regional Studies (excl Planning) @ 33%
16 STUDIES IN HUMAN SOCIETY > 1605 Policy and Administration > 160510 Public Policy @ 33%
SEO Codes: 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9607 Environmental Policy, Legislation and Standards > 960709 Urban Water Policy @ 80%
97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970105 Expanding Knowledge in the Environmental Sciences @ 20%
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