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Sustainable Rainwater Management: Challenges and Perspectives

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Resources and Sustainable Utilization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 7772

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mariusz Starzec

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Guest Editor

Department of Infrastructure and Water Management, Rzeszow University of Technology, al. Powstańców Warszawy 6, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
Interests: direction and wave of rainfall; detention tank; stormwater management; urban environmental engineering; precipitation; rainfall; hydrodynamic modeling; SWMM; machine learning; smart drainage systems; building installations; sustainable water and energy management
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Prof. Dr. Daniel Słyś

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Guest Editor

Department of Infrastructure and Water Management, Rzeszow University of Technology, Al. Powstańców Warszawy 6, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
Interests: waste heat recovery systems; sewage systems; underground infrastructure; modeling of infrastructure; water management; rainwater harvesting systems; retention
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Dr. Sabina Kordana-Obuch

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Guest Editor

Department of Infrastructure and Water Management, Rzeszow University of Technology, al. Powstańców Warszawy 6, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
Interests: sustainable water and energy management; best management practices; low impact development; hydrodynamic modeling; drainage systems; drain water heat recovery; waste heat recovery systems; sewage systems; building installations; multicriteria decision making; decision support
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Dr. Kamil Pochwat

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Guest Editor

Department of Infrastructure and Water Management, Rzeszow University of Technology, al. Powstańców Warszawy 6, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
Interests: detention tank; urban environmental engineering; stormwater; urban floods; precipitations; rainfall; hydrodynamic modeling; heat recovery from sewage; water and sewage measurement; SWMM; CFD modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

An inherent part of civilization’s development and progressive urbanization, despite the undoubted advantages of these processes, is the occurrence of environmental adverse effects. Replacing natural areas with impermeable ones diminishes the volume of water subject to retention and infiltration into the ground, which increases the risk of both flooding and urban drought. Experience shows that existing conventional drainage systems are not capable of transporting the entire surface runoff resulting from heavy rainfall, which causes significant financial as well as social losses. This, in turn, leads to increased interest in using pro-environmental solutions. The existing literature proves that sustainable rainwater management provides many economical, social and environmental benefits, including diminishing the risk of flooding, improving the micro-climate in urban agglomerations, and reducing water consumption, etc. Furthermore, in many cases, the usage of sustainable drainage systems might be a financial advantage for investors.

In this Special Issue of the Sustainability journal, articles on current and innovative strategies concerning the management of rainwater, which will aim to meet the challenges relating to the quality and quantity of rainwater and drainage infrastructure, will be welcome.

Dr. Mariusz Starzec
Prof. Dr. Daniel Słyś
Dr. Sabina Kordana-Obuch
Dr. Kamil Pochwat
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

stormwater runoff
low impact development (LID)
stormwater runoff models
environmental risk assessment
rainfall
urban floods and droughts
hydrodynamic modeling
urban environmental engineering
stormwater management
best management practices
climate change
alternative water sources
rainwater harvesting
best management practices
blue and green infrastructure
sponge cities
quantitative and qualitative assessment of rainwater
rainwater treatment methods
water scarcity
sustainable decision making

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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29 pages, 6489 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating the Utility of Selected Machine Learning Models for Predicting Stormwater Levels in Small Streams

by Mariusz Starzec and Sabina Kordana-Obuch

Sustainability 2024, 16(2), 783; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020783 - 16 Jan 2024

Viewed by 737

Abstract

The consequences of climate change include extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfall. As a result, many places around the world are experiencing an increase in flood risk. The aim of this research was to assess the usefulness of selected machine learning models, including artificial neural networks (ANNs) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) v2.0.3., for predicting peak stormwater levels in a small stream. The innovation of the research results from the combination of the specificity of small watersheds with machine learning techniques and the use of SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis, which enabled the identification of key factors, such as rainfall depth and meteorological data, significantly affect the accuracy of forecasts. The analysis showed the superiority of ANN models (R² = 0.803–0.980, RMSE = 1.547–4.596) over XGBoost v2.0.3. (R² = 0.796–0.951, RMSE = 2.304–4.872) in terms of forecasting effectiveness for the analyzed small stream. In addition, conducting the SHAP analysis allowed for the identification of the most crucial factors influencing forecast accuracy. The key parameters affecting the predictions included rainfall depth, stormwater level, and meteorological data such as air temperature and dew point temperature for the last day. Although the study focused on a specific stream, the methodology can be adapted for other watersheds. The results could significantly contribute to improving real-time flood warning systems, enabling local authorities and emergency management agencies to plan responses to flood threats more accurately and in a timelier manner. Additionally, the use of these models can help protect infrastructure such as roads and bridges by better predicting potential threats and enabling the implementation of appropriate preventive measures. Finally, these results can be used to inform local communities about flood risk and recommended precautions, thereby increasing awareness and preparedness for flash floods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Rainwater Management: Challenges and Perspectives)

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19 pages, 1657 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of a Tree Pit as a Blue–Green Infrastructure Object

by Lukas Novak, Ivana Kabelkova, David Hora and David Stransky

Sustainability 2023, 15(22), 15731; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152215731 - 8 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 687

Abstract

Trees in dense urban environments are often planted in bioretention cells with an underlying trench (BC-T) providing both stormwater pretreatment and storage. The BC-T design is based on a water balance; however, some input data (tree water uptake and water-holding capacities of soil filter and trench substrate) are difficult to obtain. The goals of this paper were (i) to study the sensitivity of such data in the BC-T design (i.e., their effect on the size of the drained area which may be connected to the tree pit), and (ii) to recommend a possible simplification of the water balance for engineering practice. Global sensitivity analysis was performed for the setup of a BC-T used in Prague, Czech Republic, assuming three different trench exfiltration rates. The most sensitive variable affecting the size of the drained area is the available water-holding capacity in the trench. The simplification of the water balance is highly dependent on exfiltration conditions. At high exfiltration rates (18 mm·h⁻¹ and more) or for a trench with an underdrain, the water-holding capacity in the soil filter and the tree water uptake can be omitted; whereas, at low trench exfiltration rates (1.8 mm·h⁻¹, without an underdrain), both the water-holding capacity of the trench substrate and the potential tree water uptake have a significant influence and cannot be omitted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Rainwater Management: Challenges and Perspectives)

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25 pages, 2712 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Family Dwelling House Localization in Poland as a Factor Influencing the Economic Effect of Rainwater Harvesting System with Underground Tank

by Edyta Dudkiewicz and Agnieszka Ludwińska

Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 10687; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310687 - 6 Jul 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 807

Abstract

Considering water resources, Poland ranks among the last in Europe. By using rainwater for sanitary purposes, drinking water is saved. This article presents the results of the economic analysis of rainwater utilization systems, based on a novel view that takes into account factors related to the location of the family detached house in the country, such as average annual rainfall and water and electricity prices. Two cases of rainwater management systems (domestic-garden and garden) were analyzed in six locations, while considering the diversity of precipitation in Poland in two variants, depending on the material of the tank, with two options of traditional electrical installation or photovoltaic panels. The evaluation of the profitability of the investment was carried out on the basis of indicators: NPV, LCC, and SPBT. The results of the analyses of all variants give the conclusion that, to achieve the greatest financial benefits, it is crucial that the building’s rainwater demand is fully met by rainfall, the unit price of water is significantly higher than the unit price of electricity, operating costs are as low as possible through the use of renewable energy sources, and subsidies are a significant percentage of the investment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Rainwater Management: Challenges and Perspectives)

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13 pages, 1363 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pioneer Use of Pseudo Sub-Daily Timestep Model for Rainwater Harvesting Analysis: Acceptance over Hourly Model and Exploring Accuracy of Different Operating Algorithms

by Monzur A. Imteaz, Hassaan Ahmad and Iqbal Hossain

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 3870; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15053870 - 21 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1134

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of a pseudo sub-daily timestep model, which uses 6-hourly variable demands and daily rainfall values split into four equal 6-hourly portions. To assess the achievements through such sub-daily model, simulations were conducted using 6-hourly YBS (yield before storage), 6-hourly YAS (yield after storage), daily YBS and daily YAS models using rainfall data from a station near Melbourne (Australia) city under different input conditions. Results from the developed models were compared with the results of an earlier developed hourly timestep model, which considered hourly rainfall data and hourly variable rainwater demands. From the results, it is found that the results of YAS models are more accurate compared to the results of YBS models. Considering only potential water savings, daily YAS model results are very similar to the 6-hourly YAS model results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Rainwater Management: Challenges and Perspectives)

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16 pages, 2976 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling of Fuzzy Cognitive Maps with a Metaheuristics-Based Rainfall Prediction System

by Mesfer Al Duhayyim, Heba G. Mohamed, Jaber S. Alzahrani, Rana Alabdan, Mohamed Mousa, Abu Sarwar Zamani, Ishfaq Yaseen and Mohamed Ibrahim Alsaid

Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010025 - 20 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1427

Abstract

Rainfall prediction remains a hot research topic in smart city environments. Precise rainfall prediction in smart cities becomes essential for planning security measures before construction and transportation activities, flight operations, water reservoir systems, and agricultural tasks. Precise rainfall forecasting now becomes more complex than before because of extreme climatic changes. Machine learning (ML) approaches can forecast rainfall by deriving hidden patterns from historic meteorological datasets. Selecting a suitable classification method for forecasting has become a tough job. This article introduces the Fuzzy Cognitive Maps with a Metaheuristics-based Rainfall Prediction System (FCMM-RPS) technique. The intention of the FCMM-RPS technique is to predict rainfall automatically and efficiently. To accomplish this, the presented FCMM-RPS technique primarily pre-processes the rainfall data to make it compatible. In addition, the presented FCMM-RPS technique predicts rainfall using the FCM model. To enhance the rainfall prediction outcomes of the FCM model, the parameter optimization process is performed using a modified butterfly optimization algorithm (MBOA). The performance assessment of the FCMM-RPS technique is tested on a rainfall dataset. A widespread comparison study highlights the improvements of the FCMM-RPS technique in the rainfall forecasting process compared to existing techniques with a maximum accuracy of 94.22%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Rainwater Management: Challenges and Perspectives)

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Review

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21 pages, 2859 KiB

Open AccessReview

Sustainable Rainwater Management and Life Cycle Assessment: Challenges and Perspectives

by Igor Catão Martins Vaz, Rodrigo Novais Istchuk, Tânia Mara Sebben Oneda and Enedir Ghisi

Sustainability 2023, 15(16), 12133; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612133 - 8 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1441

Abstract

Rainwater harvesting is a promising technique for more rational water use. However, its sustainability merits remain a subject of ongoing debate among researchers. Life cycle assessment (LCA), a method employed to measure the environmental impact of varying solutions, is helpful in this regard. Accordingly, this paper delivers an integrative review based on the PRISMA protocol, outlining challenges and potential avenues for the LCA application to rainwater harvesting. The central findings indicate that while residential buildings are most commonly examined, more consensus is needed on a uniform analytical framework. Furthermore, several benefits of rainwater are often not considered in LCA and need further exploration to understand possible synergies for its broader implementation. Finally, LCA integration with a life cycle cost assessment (LCCA) shows exciting results as it may be a more straightforward showcase of the benefits of an integrated assessment. It is concluded that specific details of the LCA of rainwater harvesting may still be simplistic. There is much work to be done in holistic assessments to prove the system’s sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Rainwater Management: Challenges and Perspectives)

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