‘A Gentle Whisper in Your Ear’

How ‘Sustainable’ are Built Environment Adaptation Projects ?

The Inter-Basin Water Transfer Project from Lough Ree, on the River Shannon, to Dublin City, in Ireland, has been described as a Pilot Adaptation Project on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) WebSite Database relating to the Nairobi Work Programme (2005-2010).

I did not imagine this … please check out the listing, for yourselves, on this WebPage … www.unfccc.int/adaptation/nairobi_work_programme/knowledge_resources_and_publications/items/4555.php?sort=focus_sort&dirc=DESC&seite=1&anf=0&type=&region=&focus=&means=

Detailed information concerning the Project can be accessed and downloaded at this Irish Address:  www.watersupplyproject-dublinregion.ie   It will cost approximately €600 million (probably much more !) … devour many material resources and have an adverse environmental impact … the objective being to divert water from the Shannon, a large river in the mid-west of the country … to Dublin, the capital city, which is located over 100 kilometres away on the east coast … in order to deal with the expected shortage of water which will be caused, among other relevant factors, by future climate change.

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Colour image showing the many options for a future Dublin Region Water Supply Project ... linking the River Shannon, and its lakes ... to the Capital City, which is over 100 kilometres away on the east coast. Click to enlarge.

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BUT … just how Sustainable is this Climate Change Adaptation Project … if the following other relevant factors are considered ?????

1.  Since the 1960′s … a dysfunctional and corrupt Spatial Planning System in the Dublin City Region has actively encouraged an uncontrolled, urban and suburban horizontal sprawl to take place.  Today, this pattern of development remains unchecked.

2.  At this time, there are still no Residential Water Charges in Dublin.  The concept of water conservation is, therefore, almost unknown among householders.  National and local politicians are terrified by any prospect of having to vote in favour of imposing these necessary charges.

3.  There are enormous un-intended losses, i.e. Leaks, from the public mains potable/drinking water distribution system … approximately 40% even in the good times, and recently, well in excess of 60% following the National Snow Emergency in Ireland.

4.  Potable/drinking water supplied to houses in the Dublin City Region is not yet Metered.  There is no urgency, therefore, in locating and repairing water leaks which occur between the private property boundary of a house and the house itself.

5.  There is no existing legal requirement in Ireland’s National Building Regulations to Harvest Rainwater in any buildings, or on any hard surfaces in the vicinity of those buildings.  A current proposal to amend Technical Guidance Document H: ‘Drainage & Waste Water Disposal’ will merely present relevant guidance text to building designers concerning this option.

Furthermore, there is no effective System of Technical Control operated by the Local Authorities in the City Region … to enforce a legal requirement concerning rainwater harvesting … even if such a legal requirement were to be introduced !

6.  In 2005-2006, at the height of the Celtic Tiger Economic Boom … the existing Foul and Storm Water Drainage Infrastructure in the City Region was already stretched to keep pace with the ‘wild’ demands for new development land.  Detailed information concerning the Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage Study can be accessed and downloaded at this Irish Address:  www.dublincity.ie/WaterWasteEnvironment/WasteWater/Drainage/GreaterDublinStrategicDrainageStudy/Pages/RegionalDrainagePolicies-OverallPolicyDocument.aspx

Overloading of the existing drainage systems was evident from a marked deterioration in water quality, increased risks of flooding and pollution, and concerns that the drainage system and sewage treatment plants had insufficient capacity to cater for future development.

7.  Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) …

‘ a continual evaluation and optimization assessment – informing initial decision-making, or design, and shaping activity/product/service realization, useful life and termination, or final disposal – of the interrelated positive and negative social, economic, environmental, institutional, political and legal impacts on balanced and equitable implementation of Sustainable Human & Social Development ‘

… is not yet a standard procedure, at any level, within national, regional and local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ’s).  If it were, the most glaring flaw in this project would rapidly be identified.  There is no comprehension at all, in the minds of Dublin City’s decision-makers, that water is a very valuable, but limited, resource !

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Although today is 1st April 2010 … far too many people in senior policy and decision-making roles are giving solemn, unquestioning consideration to this Project.

To be successful, however, National Adaptation Strategies, Programmes and Projects must be informed, in a meaningful way, by the concept of Sustainable Human and Social Development … and, prior to implementation, must be filtered through the lens of a comprehensive Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) !

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Tags: A current proposal to amend Technical Guidance Document H: 'Drainage & Waste Water Disposal', a dysfunctional and corrupt Spatial Planning System in the Dublin City Region, a marked deterioration in water quality, actively encouraged an uncontrolled urban and suburban horizontal sprawl, Built Environment, Climate Change Adaptation, concerns that the drainage system and sewage treatment plants had insufficient capacity to cater for future development, cost approximately €600 million (probably much more !), Department of the Environment Heritage and Local Government (DEHLG), devour many material resources and have an adverse environmental impact, enormous un-intended losses from the public mains potable/drinking water distribution system, expected shortage of water which will be caused among other relevant factors by future climate change, far too many people in senior policy and decision-making roles, Foul and Storm Water Drainage Infrastructure in the City Region, Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage Study, How 'Sustainable' are Built Environment Adaptation Projects, increased risks of flooding and pollution, Inter-Basin Water Transfer Project from Lough Ree on the River Shannon to Dublin City, Ireland, Nairobi Work Programme (2005-2010), national - regional - local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ's), National Adaptation Strategies Programmes and Projects, National and local politicians are terrified by any prospect of having to vote in favour, no effective System of Technical Control operated by the Local Authorities in the City Region, no existing legal requirement in Ireland's National Building Regulations to Harvest Rainwater in any buildings, no urgency in locating and repairing water leaks, Overloading of the existing drainage systems, Pilot Adaptation Project, Potable/drinking water supplied to houses in the Dublin City Region is not yet Metered, Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA), Sustainability Implementation, Sustainable Design, Sustainable Human & Social Development, Technical Control of Construction, there are still no Residential Water Charges in Dublin, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) WebSite Database