Module Catalogue 2026/27

Pre Requisite Comment

Although there are no pre-requisite modules, it is compulsory that each WIRe (8209F or 8209P) PhD student attends and is examined for transcript purposes, this module.

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

There is growing recognition that, as a result of rapid urbanisation, many of the key global challenges in water management will be faced by cities. The UN recently predicted that nearly all of the global population growth from 2016 to 2030 will be absorbed by cities, creating about 1.1 billion new urbanites. This creates significant challenges for urban areas in terms of how to supply a growing population (in planned and/or unplanned settlements), how to manage ageing infrastructure, how to recover resources from wastewater, and how to interact with the natural environment. This module will examine these challenges and provide students with the skills to identify, contextualise and evaluate different urban water management technologies and approaches.

Outline Of Syllabus

•       Global challenges for urban water management
•       Complex systems
•       The future of urban water and wastewater services, including innovative treatment and sanitation technologies and alternative water sources
•       Managing urban water networks and infrastructure, including integrated urban drainage and SUDS
•       Introduction to water sensitive urban design
•       Involving citizens in urban water management

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
1.       Explain key global challenges for urban water management and their implications (including climate change, population growth, and infrastructure provision)
2.       Describe the socio-political context for urban water management in cities (UK, EU, global)
3.       Identify and evaluate emerging technologies and approaches in urban water management

Intended Skill Outcomes

This module will examine these challenges and provide students with the skills to identify, contextualise and evaluate different urban water management technologies and approaches.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

There is growing recognition that, as a result of rapid urbanisation, many of the key global challenges in water management will be faced by cities. The UN recently predicted that nearly all of the global population growth from 2016 to 2030 will be absorbed by cities, creating about 1.1 billion new urbanites. This creates significant challenges for urban areas in terms of how to supply a growing population (in planned and/or unplanned settlements), how to manage ageing infrastructure, how to recover resources from wastewater, and how to interact with the natural environment. This module will examine these challenges and provide students with the skills to identify, contextualise and evaluate different urban water management technologies and approaches.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

N/A

General Notes

This Module is part of the Water Infrastructure & Resilience (WIRe) CDT.


REFERENCES:-

Essential reading:
•       Material on Blackboard

Additional reading:
•       Bell, S. (2018) Urban Water Sustainability: Constructing Infrastructure for Cities and Nature, Routledge, Abingdon.
•       OECD (2015), Water and Cities: Ensuring Sustainable Futures, OECD Studies on Water, OECD Publishing, Paris.
•       Marsalek, J. et al. (2007), Urban Water Cycle Processes and Interactions, UNESCO-IHP Urban Water Series, Taylor & Francis, Amsterdam.