Stage 1: Problem Identification
1. Identify a problem: Urbanization has led to the contamination and depletion of water bodies,
impacting aquatic ecosystems and reducing water quality.
2. Describe the problem: As cities expand, natural water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and ponds are
increasingly subjected to pollution from industrial discharge, sewage, and urban runoff. The
accumulation of contaminants disrupts aquatic habitats, affects water potability, and contributes to
health hazards for urban populations.
3. State your intention: The objective of this project is to explore strategies to mitigate the adverse
effects of urbanization on water bodies through sustainable urban planning and water management
practices.
4. Define the main idea: The main idea is to identify and recommend actionable solutions to protect
water bodies from the adverse impacts of urbanization, focusing on waste management, pollution
control, and community-based conservation efforts.
5. Set design specifications:
The solution should be cost-effective and scalable.
It must incorporate pollution control measures.
Community participation and awareness programs should be included.
Sustainable urban planning principles should be integrated.
The focus should be on preventing contamination and promoting water conservation.
Stage 2: Investigation of Related Ideas
1. Research existing solutions: Existing solutions include constructed wetlands for water filtration, urban
green spaces to manage runoff, water treatment plants, and community-led water monitoring
programs.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Existing Solutions:
Constructed Wetlands:
Advantages: Cost-effective, natural filtration, supports biodiversity.
Disadvantages: Requires significant space, maintenance-intensive, potential for mosquito breeding.
Urban Green Spaces:
Advantages: Reduces runoff, enhances air quality, promotes community well-being.
Disadvantages: High initial costs, potential for maintenance challenges, limited space in dense urban
areas.
Water Treatment Plants:
Advantages: Effective pollutant removal, reliable, scalable.
Disadvantages: High operational costs, requires skilled labor, energy-intensive.
Community-Led Water Monitoring Programs:
Advantages: Engages residents, promotes awareness, cost-effective.
Disadvantages: Requires training, inconsistent data quality, limited technical expertise.
2. Collect and record data: Data will be collected through studies of cities with effective water
management systems, interviews with environmental experts, and surveys of local residents near
affected water bodies.
3. Analyze the data: Strengths and weaknesses of each solution will be assessed based on factors such as
cost, environmental impact, community acceptance, and technical feasibility.
4. Make recommendations:
Implement buffer zones with vegetation to reduce runoff contamination.
Develop community-led water quality monitoring programs.
Promote the use of permeable surfaces to reduce urban runoff.
Integrate rainwater harvesting systems to reduce water body stress.
Stage 3: Generation of Ideas
1. Create new ideas:
Develop a mobile app for monitoring water quality in urban areas.
Implement floating treatment wetlands to filter contaminants in affected water bodies.
Introduce a community rewards program for reporting illegal waste disposal.
2. Modify existing solutions:
Enhance water treatment systems by integrating advanced filtration technologies.
Modify rainwater harvesting systems to store and treat urban runoff.
3. Experiment and test:
Prototype a basic water quality monitoring app with data reporting features.
Construct a small-scale floating wetland model to assess pollutant filtration capabilities.
4. Present your ideas:
Create a video presentation of the app prototype.
Design infographics that illustrate how floating wetlands function to reduce water pollution.
Stage 4: Development of Ideas
1. Choose the best idea: The floating treatment wetlands are selected as the most feasible and
environmentally friendly solution.
2. Refine your idea:
Incorporate additional plant species known for pollutant absorption.
Design modular wetland units for easy installation and maintenance.
3. Analyze and synthesize:
Gather feedback from environmental experts and residents to refine the wetland design.
4. Create a prototype:
Construct a scaled-down model of the floating wetland with selected plant species and pollutant-
absorbing substrates.
Stage 5: Presentation of Results
1. Present your final solution: The final solution is a floating treatment wetland system designed to filter
and purify contaminated urban water bodies.
2. Use various presentation methods:
Demonstrate the working prototype in a controlled water setting.
Develop posters and informational brochures about the benefits of floating wetlands.
Stage 6: Evaluation and Recommendations
1. Evaluate your project: The project successfully identifies a sustainable solution to mitigate water
pollution caused by urbanization. The floating treatment wetland prototype effectively demonstrates
pollutant reduction capabilities.
2. Link back to your intention: The solution aligns with the intention of reducing urban water pollution
through nature-based systems and community engagement.
3. Make recommendations:
Expand the wetland system to include additional pollutant-absorbing plant species.
Partner with local authorities to implement the wetland system in high-risk urban water bodies.
Incorporate educational programs to raise awareness about water conservation and pollution
prevention.
