The end of the sectoral approach? Understanding the role of integration in urban water management

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Abstract

Urban areas are highly dependent on their urban water systems, which provide essential services such as access to clean drinking water, public health protection, and flood control. Global developments increasingly threaten the provision of these services: changing weather patterns, ongoing urbanization processes, and depleting natural resources lead to environmental and public health issues, and increase the risk of urban flooding.

While traditional urban water systems (i.e., centralized water supply systems, sewer networks, and large-scale wastewater treatment facilities) have significantly contributed to global public health and protected cities from flooding, they are ill-equipped in the face of emerging global developments. For example, traditional systems have a limited ability to cope with extreme climate conditions, have a high net energy consumption, and lead to the deterioration of the environmental quality....