Emergence of decentralised water and sanitation systems in Melbourne, Australia
by Dena Fam; Cynthia Mitchell; Kumi Abeysuriya; Abby Mellick Lopes
International Journal of Water (IJW), Vol. 8, No. 2, 2014

Abstract: In Melbourne, Australia, a shift is occurring in the approach to wastewater management. With increased pressure from landscape drivers such as population growth, urbanisation, and over a decade of extended drought conditions, a new model of wastewater management is being explored by Melbourne's metropolitan water utilities in the development of their latest Metropolitan Sewerage Strategy (MSS). With input from key industry leaders and a broad range of stakeholders a collaborative 'vision' of sustainable sewerage services to Melbourne over a 50 year timeframe was developed with decentralised systems emerging as a key, long-term component of service delivery. Drawing on the multi-level perspective (MLP), we investigate the interrelated and reinforcing factors that have driven this shift in perception toward decentralised systems and serious consideration of alternative socio-technical configurations of wastewater management in Melbourne's future planning strategy. We then explore the process in which cross disciplinary participants from industry, government and civil society articulated their vision of a long term sustainable sanitation future for Melbourne.

Online publication date: Thu, 16-Oct-2014

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