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The Riverwood wetlands . Photo : Nabila Namira .
Engaging local communities to support cultural ownership of and investment in sustainable water practices
The problem
Water Sensitive Urban Design ( WSUD ) technologies help maintain the health of our waterways . They remove stormwater pollution , repurpose nutrients for vegetation and enable the potential for treated stormwater reuse .
While communities often engage with WSUDs through diverse recreational activities , they are often unaware of how they connect to the wider water system .
Our solution
Engaging communities in managing local water infrastructure , like WSUDs , supports greater cultural investment in sustainable water practices , says Dr Marilu Melo Zurita from UNSW ’ s School of Humanities & Language . Developing greater water literacy will help us protect our waterways and environment .
Marilu Melo Zurita is a human geographer and cultural anthropologist who researches water governance , social housing relocation , peri-urban disaster management and volumetric urbanism . Her
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