Urban drainage redefined: from stormwater removal to integrated management

Even though urban drainage has been practised for more than 5000 years, man y challenges arising from growing demands on drainage still remain with res pect to runoff quantity and quality; landscape aesthetics, ecology and bene ficial uses; and operation of existing urban wastewater systems. Further ad vances can be achieved by adopting an integrated approach, optimal operatio n of the existing infrastructure, advanced pollution and runoff source cont rols, improved resilience of receiving waters, and adaptive water managemen t. The specific research needs include new technologies and strategies for stormwater management, advanced treatment of urban wet-weather effluents, a nd tools for analysis and operation of drainage systems. High diversity of demands on, and region/site specific conditions of, urban drainage shapes t he role of urban drainage experts - as mediators among the many stakeholder s and fields involved.