Urban household uptake of water sensitive urban design source control measures: an exploratory comparative survey across Cape Town and Pretoria, South Africa

ABSTRACT

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) presents a process towards the objective of a water-sensitive city. An integrated approach requires community acceptance to implement WSUD at household level. An exploratory comparative survey was conducted amongst 250 households across Cape Town and Pretoria, South Africa, to determine actual uptake of rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling systems and permeable paving, factors affecting uptake, and the perceived effectiveness of assistance to implement WSUD relative to other water demand-side management instruments. Actual uptake of rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse is noticeable amongst water-saving middle-to-high income home owners. Although loglinear analyses suggest that Cape Town’s recent drought is unlikely to contribute towards more established levels of uptake, assistance to implement WSUD is nevertheless perceived as the second most effective instrument. Three directions for more systematic research are proposed to better inform the practical implementation of WSUD at household level.

KEYWORDS:

• Day Zero
• water sensitive urban design
• rainwater harvesting
• greywater reuse systems
• permeable paving
• water demand-side management

Acknowledgements

The CSIR provided financial and logical assistance towards the fieldwork. The authors would like to thank all the respondents and fieldworkers, including the following students who participated in the fieldwork as part of their final-year research project for the Bachelors in Town and Regional Planning at the University of Pretoria: Pavlo Eftychis, Lawrence Fowle, Adam Harper, Dylan Laloux, Akani Mabasa, Anthonia Mabotsa, Khanyisile Mabunda, Mmashibu Mashiane, Tebogo Mekgwe, Anelisiwe Mvubu, Matshidiso Raganya, Melissa Taleni. The authors would also like to thank the two reviewers whose comments helped improve the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. ‘Suburb’ included any former ‘white’ predominantly residential neighbourhood beyond the central business district within the municipal boundaries that included a noticeable proportion of freestanding houses amongst other housing types. ‘Township’ included any former ‘black’ formal settlement within the municipal boundaries that included a noticeable proportion of freestanding houses amongst other housing types.