Sustainable stormwater management using stormwater quality improvement devices: a review

The rise in urbanisation has led to increased stormwater runoff due to the proliferation of impervious surfaces, vegetation loss, and decreased drainage efficiency. To manage urban stormwater, water sensitive urban design (WSUD) has been proposed in Australia, which reduces urban flooding and protects our natural waterways. Stormwater quality improvement devices (SQIDs) are elements of WSUD that can remove pollutants from urban stormwater. This paper reviews key SQIDs, which are widely adopted globally. A bibliometric analysis is conducted based on relevant publications from 2000 to 2024, which reveals that the USA, China, and Australia are the leading countries in sustainable stormwater management research. A significant international collaboration between USA and Australia is found. Also, research on bioretention and other nature-based solutions has been increasing in recent years, highlighting the need for sustainable urban stormwater management. It is expected that WSUD will be up-taken by developing countries following its success in developed countries. This paper also presents learning aspects of stormwater engineering by the first author