Risk: A Fundamental Barrier to the Implementation of Low Impact Design Infrastructure for Urban Stormwater Control

Abstract

Rapid transformations of the urban landscape to cope with infrastructure needs have adverse consequences on the aquatic environments from urban stormwater runoff flows and the associated pollutants washed into the rivers and lakes. The implementation of low impact design (LID) infrastructure is considered a better approach to conventional management and control of urban runoff but has been slow, or non-existent, in many new urban cities. In addition to institutional, technological, social and economic barriers, risks and concern for contractual liabilities are identified as factors prohibiting uptake of low impact design. This article is based on findings from interviews; a survey and online questionnaire. The data obtained from the online survey was analyzed using non-parametric tests. First, the study showed risk as the most dominant factor inhibiting implementation of LID infrastructure. In addition, the results show a significant difference exists between professionals with LID implementation hands-on experience versus their counterparts with theoretical knowledge alone. Due to self-efficacy of professionals with practical experience, they are more inclined to favour and promote LID infrastructure, and hence possess better propensity for contractual liabilities risk taking. Summarily, the article proposes dissemination of relevant information among practitioners to improve LID knowledge apprehension and utilization. This will reduce perception of risk that will promote uptake. In addition, team collaboration with equitable contractual risk sharing for LID project planning and implementation is advocated.

Co-Design of Engineered Hyporheic Zones to Improve In-Stream Stormwater Treatment and Facilitate Regulatory Approval

“…However, all new BMPs need detailed field performance data to be approved by regulators and accepted by practitioners. The same strict adherence to proven and pre-approved designs is found in both stormwater and the closely-related field of stream restoration [64] and is logical from a risk management perspective in which potential liabilities can be felt more strongly than the hypothetical benefits of a new technique [52,65]. This represents a chicken-and-egg conundrum, because a BMP cannot be constructed in the field without prior performance data, but field performance data cannot be collected without a pilot field site.…”

“…Olorunkiya et al [52] discuss risk factors (e.g., limited design examples and fear of liability) as barriers to LID implementation; these factors are reduced by demonstration projects.…”

Stormwater Management Criteria for On-Site Pollution Control: A Comparative Assessment of International Practices

“…Water quality governance has indeed traditionally consisted in a vertical approach to decision-making with local communities being "top-down recipient of State policies", hindering their involvement in the implementation of non-traditional stormwater controls (Brown 2005), and may thus contribute to the persistence of inappropriate management criteria. This resistance to change might also originate from perceived risk associated with adoption of holistic management strategies (Olorunkiya et al 2012). In France, sewer systems operators rarely give developers specific criteria to prevent pollutants from entering drainage systems because they probably remain more receptive to quantity control issues like urban flooding, rather than surface water pollution (Martin et al 2007;Aires and Cavailles 2009;Petrucci et al 2013) even if they are liable for environmental damage.…”

It Is Not Easy Being Green: Recognizing Unintended Consequences of Green Stormwater Infrastructure

“…These malfunctions can largely be avoided, however, with proper design, construction, and maintenance. While construction risks can never be completely removed, they can be greatly reduced when practitioners have proper training and experience [249].…”