Institutional issues for green-gray infrastructure based on integrated “One Water” management and resource recovery

The ‘One Water’ paradigm recognises the interconnectedness of groundwater, stormwater, wastewater, flooding, water quality, wetlands, watercourses, estuaries, and coastal waters, and integrates multi-use, flexible and environmentally sustainable systems while valuing all urban water flows as a potential resource. Decades of water production, sewage treatment and urban development, have resulted in pipe and pump-station networks with the associated procedural systems for regulation and governance. Altogether, these form barriers to ‘One Water’ recycling and reuse. This research investigated, described, and defined these barriers and the strategies and actions used to overcome them. This was accomplished by reviewing published literature, by collating case studies and by recording the outputs of interactive workshops. It was concluded that obstacles to ‘One Water’ include the existing system of centralised and silo-ed expertise and the current complex structure of regulations governing safety of water supply, wastewater, and stormwater management. Research findings were used to develop a framework for transitioning to more flexible ‘One Water’ management processes which focus on integrated resource planning, incremental implementation, and the collaboration of traditional urban planners with water resource managers.