Planning and design of urban drainage systems in informal settlements in developing countries

Abstract

Many cities in developing countries are typified by large areas of informal settlements. These often do not adhere to official planning guidelines, building regulations and construction standards and, as they are not officially recognised by local authorities, are rarely provided with adequate infrastructure and services. The provision of improved systems for drainage of wastewater and stormwater runoff is an important component of urban upgrading initiatives. This paper focuses on urban drainage as a component of urban upgrading and discusses issues related to the integration of drainage systems serving informal settlements into citywide stormwater management systems. Experiences from urban upgrading schemes in different parts of the world are used to highlight innovative approaches towards planning and design as well as illustrating examples of potential problems that may be encountered during project implementation and subsequent operation.

Keywords:

• Informal settlements
• Low-income communities
• Drainage
• Slums
• Solid waste
• Stormwater runoff
• Urban planning
• Urban upgrading