Different approaches to assessment of design and management of sustainable urban water systems

The implications of sustainability on a construction level are quite well known, for example, with respect to the use of resources and emissions. On a higher level, sustainable development is not univocal. There are various sustainable solutions to a problem. Sustainable development is a complex problem, and in urban infrastructure a specific solution usually is the result of a planning process in which people from various backgrounds are involved. Different people have different perceptions of urban infrastructure and its management. A system of four basic approaches is presented, distinguishing so-called eco, ratio, socio, and carrying capacity approaches. This system, based on an extensive literature review, can facilitate the process leading to a workable consensus on sustainable development. The approach and planning process has to meet a certain set of requirements. Requirements are given, partly based on experience with planning for urban water infrastructure dealing with “natural” water flows in three cities.