Community Drainage System (Coursework Sample)

Community Drainage System Strategic Plan West Coast University Ruth Joseph Dr. Mart Kessack July 31st, 2016 Introduction Community water drainage system is a serious infrastructure issue that can cause a health hazard. A drainage system is made up of the natural water ways like streams, Man-made water ways like ditches and trenches, natural and artificial water-holding centers and the sewer system (Canadian Standards Association, 2015). These systems ensure water runs down stream into the right places to avoid stagnation that would otherwise be a health issue. Drainage as a health issue arises from the stagnation of water due to disruption of their paths and break down of the sewer system (Canadian Standards Association, 2015). The community is supposed to protect the systems from disruptions like constructions, farming and lack of maintenance. According to Craun et al. (2015), from 1920 to 2002, America has reported 1, 870 outbreaks of water-borne diseases. Waterborne diseases were the reason for 207 outbreaks were reported and 433, 947 illnesses. Craun et al. (2015) breaks down where the illnesses were reported as in non-community water systems, community water systems, and individual systems. In these three categories, non-community water systems report the highest number of illnesses at 42% followed by community systems at 36% and finally individual systems at 22% (Craun et al., 2015). These cases led to thousands of illnesses reported. The trend has however been decreasing with time. The following graph still shows some community systems and the increasing rate of outbreaks resulting from community drainage systems. Community drainage systems are managed by collective responsibility, the government, and local authority. Main infrastructure features like streams and sewage system are managed by the government. Trenches and ditches are mostly a collective responsibility of the community or local authorities like city council if they pose danger to health. Trenches and ditches in farms and personal property are managed by individuals. Communities do not have the special machinery required to open swamps and maintain Trenches. They also lack funds to pay experts who can be involved in redesigning a drainage system in case of a problem. The lack of authority, funds and machines amputates the community’s ability to solve drainage issues in their environment. Legislation managing waterways and drainage system also lacks and therefore makes it hard to control human activities that disrupt a drainage system. The drainage system is also part of the measures to manage natural disasters like storms and if not included in that package cannot be controlled (Canadian Standards Association, 2015). The table above showed an increase in cases related to water-borne disease outbreaks. This is because the community drainage systems are increasing as more trenches and underground ditches are built to pass waste water. This is in response to increase in populations, homes, apartments and industries that must be served by the community drainage system. Strategic Plan Goal 1: The Community should be aware of health hazards associated with Drainage The community must be first made aware of the risks poor drainage is causing to health. They have to understand the relationship between water-borne diseases and stagnant water. * Carry out a public awareness campaign on the community and televisions. * Use survey engineers to educate people on the community drainage patterns and necessary action in case of a disruption. Goal 2: Legislation or community policy prohibiting human activity on drainage reserve land Land covered by sewage storage tanks, sewer lines, streams, trenches, swamps, etc. is land covered by the drainage system. To control disruption of this drainage, the land should be placed under public land legislation or community land. * Land covered by drainage system should be protected from misuse by law. * Punishment should be stipulated by law, on offenders that disrupt drainage system by building houses, putting farms on them, etc. Goal 3: Programs to maintain the sewer and drainage system Drainage system breaks down due to poor maintenance. Often the system in maintained after a public outcry, health hazard or streams have been blocked permanently for some time. At this time the damage is already done. A community should have a defined and written program of how the system will be maintained. * The county council or town council or even central government should have a written and signed program governing how drainage systems will be maintained. It can st...