Environmental Safeguards
Basic infrastructure projects like water supply, sewerage and sanitation shall undoubtedly contribute to the improvement of environmental quality as well as health and economic well being of the people. Benefits arising from safe sewerage system include:
- Improved environmental quality
- Reduced flooding/water accumulation and improved aesthetics
- better public health particularly reduction in waterborne and infectious diseases
- improved economic condition from better health conditions, improvement in economic man-days
However, infrastructure facilities that are not well conceived/planned/constructed or operated, and which are also not socially acceptable or environmentally benign may lead to potential adverse impacts which may have far more implications than the benefits. Therefore it is important that these are identified well at the master plan stage and are suitably integrated into all the stages from concept to construction and operation so that the positive benefits are increase manifold.
The following impacts/issues needs to be considered while planning/designing storm water drainage projects:
- Impacts due to improper design of drains
- Impacts due to inadequate maintenance of surface drains
- Impact due to mixing of waste water with storm water
- Increase in sediment load of the receiving body
- Flooding of downstream areas in case of improper disposal facilities