Blue-green infrastructure in view of Integrated Urban Water Management: A novel assessment of an effectiveness index
Jacqueline Carril Ferreira, Daniel Costa dos Santos, Luiza C. Campos
Abstract
• Implementing BGI measures alone does not guarantee a more sustainable environment. • The UWU model simulated the effectiveness index by involving stakeholders. • Simulation results show higher effectiveness of BGI measures combined with IUWM. • The community participated in the application of the UWU model for the first time. Addressing urban water management challenges requires a holistic view. Sustainable approaches such as blue-green infrastructure (BGI) provide several benefits, but assessing their effectiveness demands a systemic approach. Challenges are magnified in informal areas, leading to the combination of integrated urban water management (IUWM) with BGI as a proposed solution by this research. We employed the Urban Water Use (UWU) model to assess the effectiveness index (EI) of BGI measures in view of IUWM after stakeholder consultation. The procedure in this novel assessment includes expert meetings for scenario building and resident interviews to capture the community's vision. To assess the impact of IUWM on the effectiveness of BGI measures, we proposed a simulation with BGI only and then three simulations with improvements to the water and sewage systems. The results of the EI analysis reveal a substantial improvement in the effectiveness of BGI measures through IUWM combination. Moreover, we offer insights into developing strategies for UWU model application in informal settlements, transferrable to diverse urban areas. The findings hold relevance for policymakers and urban planners, aiding informed decisions in urban water management.