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The Role of Constructed Wetlands as Green Infrastructure for Sustainable Urban Water Management

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  • Alexandros I. Stefanakis

    (School of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, GR73100 Chania, Greece)

Abstract

Nowadays, it is better understood that the benefits of green infrastructure include a series of ecosystem services, such as cooling, water storage and management, recreation and landscaping, among others. Green technologies are still developing to provide sustainable solutions to the problems that modern cities and peri-urban areas face at an ever-increasing rate and intensity. Constructed wetlands technology is an established green multi-purpose option for water management and wastewater treatment, with numerous effectively proven applications around the world and multiple environmental and economic advantages. These systems can function as water treatment plants, habitat creation sites, urban wildlife refuges, recreational or educational facilities, landscape engineering and ecological art areas. The aim of this article is to highlight the synergies between this green technology and urban areas in order to reconnect cities with nature, to promote circularity in the urban context and to apply innovative wetland designs as landscape infrastructure and water treatment solutions. This approach could be a step further in the effort to mitigate the current degradation process of the urban landscape. Following the concept of green infrastructure, the article presents and suggests ways to integrate wetland technology in the urban environment, namely: (i) stormwater and urban runoff management (storage and treatment of water during storm events) to provide protection from flood incidents, especially considering climate change, (ii) innovative low-impact infrastructure and design solutions for urban wastewater treatment, and (iii) wetland technology for habitat creation and ecosystem services provision.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexandros I. Stefanakis, 2019. "The Role of Constructed Wetlands as Green Infrastructure for Sustainable Urban Water Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:24:p:6981-:d:295219
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Vassilios Tsihrintzis & Rizwan Hamid, 1997. "Modeling and Management of Urban Stormwater Runoff Quality: A Review," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 11(2), pages 136-164, April.
    2. Mannino, Ilda & Franco, Daniel & Piccioni, Enrico & Favero, Laura & Mattiuzzo, Erika & Zanetto, Gabriele, 2006. "A cost-effectiveness analysis of seminatural wetlands and activated sludge wastewater-treatment systems," MPRA Paper 52359, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 19 May 2007.
    3. Christopher Walker & Katharina Tondera & Terry Lucke, 2017. "Stormwater Treatment Evaluation of a Constructed Floating Wetland after Two Years Operation in an Urban Catchment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-10, September.
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