We worked with our partners to help solve some complex urban water problems in the City of Kunshan (in China)—degraded waterways, catchment pollution, poor water circulation, poor drainage and frequent flooding.

We used our innovative social-technical approach, which introduces technical solutions, and fosters collaboration and integrated governance among the many stakeholders involved in city planning, infrastructure delivery and water environment protection.

We used nature-based solutions to embed four elements—water, forest, food and culture—into open spaces, along road and rail transport corridors, conserving strategic natural features and creating an urban mosaic of ecological landscapes for framing and guiding the city’s development.

The ecosystem services embedded into the cityscape have improved water quality, enhanced landscape connectivity, created biodiversity, introduced food production, and influenced the urban microclimate, allowing the city to repair itself. This city-wide strategy reduces pollution into regional waterways, and mitigates flood risks for downstream cities.

Kunshan is now recognised as one of China’s leading sponge cities with a unique blend of structural and non-structure initiatives, strengthening its resilience to the many challenges of urban water security and urban liveability in a developing city.

This vision is a great opportunity to develop Hotan into a model Chinese Sponge City for the desert environment. This project also demonstrated the concept of a sponge city goes beyond stormwater management.

We conducted a rapid assessment of Hotan’s water security vulnerability, and the critical inadequacies of the city’s existing water services. We identified opportunities to position and transition the city into a water sensitive city, by incorporating water ecological landscapes into the city’s urban design. We developed a vision and transition strategy that ensures Hotan has a sustainable water supply, is resilient to climate change, and promotes greater liveability and ecological civilisation outcomes.

We are part of the RISE project in Indonesia and Fiji

Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments (RISE) project is examining the interactions between health, the environment, and water and sanitation in informal settlements in developing countries. Led by Monash Sustainable Development Institute, the project is currently adapting and applying water sensitive principles and practices in two locations—Makassar (Indonesia) and Suva (Fiji).

We advise RISE on community engagement and nature based structural engineering solutions for sanitation and clean water. Working with communities, governments, local leaders and partner institutions, RISE is co-designing location-specific solutions that integrate green infrastructure (such as constructed wetlands) to strengthen the whole-of-life water and sanitation cycle.

The project is jointly funded by Wellcome Trust (UK) and the Asian Development Bank.

We are building relationships with stakeholders in New Zealand

Our work in New Zealand began in in 2018, collaborating with the Sustainably Society through a workshop to explore collaborative water management practices and understanding culturally sensitive water practices. The workshop focused on fostering the relationships between providers, governments and the community that are necessary for achieving a shared vision among diverse stakeholders. It highlighted a gap in our current approach: How do we ensure Indigenous knowledge, values and stories are embedded in the way we perceive and interact with our water?

Along with workshop participants, we explored what culturally sensitive practice would look like:

• Urban water management is co-defined, co-developed and co-managed with Indigenous partners.
• Indigenous knowledge, stories and values are embedded in water planning and decision making.
• Indigenous voices and representatives are involved in decision making at all levels.
• Water design solutions will be site-specific and reflect the cultural and environmental context.