Post Project Monitoring of BMPs/SUDS to Determine Performance and Whole Life Cost

Implementation of structural Best Management Practices (BMPs) for mitigating the impacts of urban stormwater runoff is becoming more widespread for new development in the United States (US) as well as in the United Kingdom (UK). These facilities are known as Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) in the UK. SUDS differ somewhat from BMPs in that they are built upon the idea of developing an integrated, holistic stormwater management plan that addresses pollutant reduction and flood control while providing habitat and aesthetic amenities. The widespread adoption of structural stormwater controls has lead to concerns about the long-term performance and cost liabilities associated with these structures. The purpose of this paper is to report on some of the findings of the study, Post-Project Monitoring of BMPs/SUDS to Determine Performance and Whole-Life Costs, which is jointly funded by the Water Environment Research Foundation, the United Kingdom Water Industry Research, and the American Water Works Association Research Foundation.