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Best Management Practices
(BMPs)
|
BMPs
are techniques developed and designs to reduce the impact of water
discharges on the receiving watercourse, i.e. the Bourne Stream. Now
more commonly referred to as SUDS (see
below). |
|
Diffuse
pollution
|
Pollutants arising from several different sources;
diffuse pollution in urban areas is very likely to be of sewerage origin
and run-off from land and impervious areas such as paved streets, car
parks, and rooftops during rainfall that often contain pollutants in
quantities that could adversely affect water quality. As opposed to
point
source pollution. |
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Epidemiological
|
From
epidemiology: the branch of medical science concerned with the
occurrence, transmission, and control of epidemic diseases.
|
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First
flush
|
Following
a period of dry weather, substantial amounts of rain falling on an
urbanised area will be channelled by impermeable surfaces into the water
course, taking litter, food waste, dog foul, oil and other ground
pollutants into the stream - the result is known as the 'first flush
effect'. |
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Greywater |
As
its name implies, greywater is of lesser quality than potable (drinking) water, but
of higher quality than blackwater. Blackwater is water flushed from
toilets. Water from the kitchen sink, waste disposal and dishwasher is
usually considered blackwater because of high concentrations of organic
waste. Water from the bath, shower, washing machine, and bathroom sink are
the main sources of greywater. The DTI claim that water savings of up to
30% can be achieved by reclaiming greywater from baths, showers and hand
basins for non-potable purposes such as toilet flushing or watering the
garden. |
|
Gully
pots |
The
primary purpose of gully pots is to trap sediment associated with road run-off.
Most retain a certain amount of road run-off, which acts as a water seal,
preventing the escape of odour from combined sewers. Gully pots therefore,
represent a reservoir of contaminated sediment and a source of pollutants
that can be flushed into sewers and watercourses during maintenance or
intense storms. |
|
Macro-invertebrates |
Invertebrates
(or animals without a backbone) that live on the bottom of streams during
all or part of their life cycle; "macro" indicates that they can
be seen with the naked eye. A good indicator species - their populations
fluctuate depending on physical and chemical changes in their habitat. |
|
Point
source pollution |
Pollution
originating from a known (i.e. controllable) source, such as an industrial
or commercial premises. As opposed to
diffuse
pollution. |
|
Run-off
|
That
element of rainfall which finds its way into streams, rivers, etc., from
rooftops, car parks, roads, and other impermeable surfaces. |
|
Stakeholder
|
"A
person with an interest or concern in something" (The New Oxford
Dictionary of English). |
SUDS
|
Sustainable Drainage
Systems. SUDS encompass a wide
range of techniques, such as porous pavements, swales, infiltration ditches, ponds, etc.,
that work by dealing with surface water at source or by slowing down flows
to watercourses.
|
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Sustainable development
|
"Development
which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs"
from
the Brundtland Report, 1987
|
