About the Project
Exponential growth of the built environment, associated with rapid urban expansion and increasing urban populations, is already placing considerable pressure on the urban water cycle, critical infrastructure, and urban waterways that represent primary pathways (or conduits) within this cycle. Globally, urban water demand is expected to increase from present levels of 15-20% to approximately 30% of the total global water demand by 20501. This increasing demand is intrinsically linked to the production of more wastewater and, hence, the likelihood of increased water pollution. These pressures are further compounded by climate change (e.g. increasing rainfall intensities) and inadequate infrastructure (e.g. limited runoff drainage and treatment capacity) that can both increase urban flood risk and result in more frequent discharges of untreated wastewater into urban waterways, with the associated risks of habitat degradation and loss of biodiversity.
This project will consider how different regenerative technologies, including blue-green infrastructure, natural water treatment systems, decentralised and circular water management practices, and urban stream/river restoration projects, can mitigate these detrimental impacts on the urban water cycle, while promoting multiple benefits from nature-positive interventions and ecosystem enhancement in the regeneration of urban waterways. It is anticipated that the project will initially conduct a systematic review of different examples and scales of regenerative water projects in urban areas worldwide. This will examine their purpose, design, implementation and outcomes with a view to evaluating their multiple benefits (and limitations) through meta-analysis of available data, assessing their impacts on urban flooding and pollution risks, urban water quality, and biodiversity and ecosystem services provision. This review will also consider other important socio-economic factors from the implementation of regenerative technologies including benefit-cost analysis, efficiency in urban water use & reuse (including nutrient and energy recovery), community engagement and acceptance, and public health and societal wellbeing outcomes. The key aim of this systematic review will be to develop a comprehensive evidence base on which to build new strategies and guidelines that incorporate regenerative technologies at the centre of urban water & wastewater management practices to promote nature-positive interventions for ecosystem enhancement in urban waterways. Through consultations with key stakeholders (e.g. Scottish Water, SEPA, NatureScot, local authorities), the project will then look at applying the review outcomes to a specific study site in Scotland (e.g. a planned or new urban development) to propose a suite of regenerative solutions for managing urban water in the context of reducing flood risk, wastewater production and water pollution, and the provision of multiple ecosystem services through the creation of natural aquatic habitats with enhanced ecological and amenity value. It is envisaged that the case study will combine hydrological, hydraulic and ecosystem modelling to assess how nature-positive changes to the urban water cycle can contribute to tackling stresses on urban water due to population growth, expanding urban development, and climate change impacts.
In this regard, the project clearly aligns with the Scottish Government’s Water, wastewater and drainage policy: consultation2; Scottish Water’s Strategic Plan – A Sustainable Future Together3; SEPA’s Water Supply and Wastewater Sector Plan4; and NatureScot’s professional advice on Placemaking and Green Infrastructure5. Within this multidisciplinary project, the Leverhulme Doctoral Scholar will therefore be expected to form close working relationships with these key stakeholders, as well as liaising closely with Eden Dundee, who are currently developing regenerative solutions to water and wastewater management at their Eden Project Dundee site.
For informal enquiries about the project, contact Dr Alan Cuthbertson: a.j.s.cuthbertson@dundee.ac.uk
APPLICATION PROCESS
Step 1 – Applicants are recommended to make contact as early as possible ahead of the deadline with the lead supervisor and (1) send a copy of your CV and (2) discuss your potential application and any particular needs.
Step 2 – After discussion with the lead supervisor, formal applications can be made via the following form: REGNR8-I Scholarship Application 2024.docx. Please use this form instead of the register of interest form below.
QUALIFICATIONS
Applicants should have first-class, or an upper second-class (2.1) Honours degree AND a Master’s degree in discipline(s) relevant to their selected topic.
English language requirement: IELTS (Academic) overall score must be at least 6.5 (with not less than 5.5 in reading, listening, speaking and 6.0 in writing). The University of Dundee accepts a variety of equivalent qualifications and alternative ways to demonstrate language proficiency; please see full details of the University’s English language requirements here: www.dundee.ac.uk/guides/english-language-requirements.
1 The World Bank (2021). Circular Economy: An Opportunity to Transform Urban Water Services. Online: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2021/09/16/circular-economy-an-opportunity-to-transform-urban-water-services.
2 Scottish Government. Water, wastewater and drainage policy: consultation. Online: https://www.gov.scot/publications/water-wastewater-drainage-policy-consultation/documents.
3 Scottish Water. Strategic Plan – A Sustainable Future Together. Online: https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/-/media/ScottishWater/Document-Hub/Key-Publications/Strategic-Plan/030220StrategicPlanASustainableFutureTogether.pdf.
4 SEPA (2019). Water and Wastewater Sector Plan. Online: https://sectors.sepa.org.uk/media/1122/water-supply-and-waste-water-sector-plan.pdf.
5 NatureScot. Placemaking and Green Infrastructure. Online: https://www.nature.scot/professional-advice/placemaking-and-green-infrastructure.
