Journal of Project Management

Running head: SMART DRAINS INITIATIVE TO REDUCE RISK OF FLOODING
SMART DRAINS INITIATIVE TO REDUCE RISK OF FLOODING
Name of the Student
Name of University
Author Note

SMART DRAINS INITIATIVE TO REDUCE RISK OF FLOODING1
Introduction
A collaborative project was planned between the organisation of Fujitsu, Downer and
EYEfi to establish smart drains with the utilization of sonar and camera sensors such that the
project would act in reducing the risk of flooding when storm water drains overflow. The
project was taken as a solution for the over flooding of the blockages in storm water drains
for improving the utilisation of the maintenance system teams for drains. The following essay
would find out the issues in the project, the users, the issues that they were facing without the
implementation of the drainage systems, the definition of the problem, the needs of the users,
the key stakeholders, stakeholder mapping, addressing of the problems of the project details
and the reflection of this is the source of the project with discussion of the problems
associated with the different aspects of the project.
Synthesis of the Project
Understanding the problem
The primary problem of this particular case when the roadside storm water drains
would overflow. Implementing a smart drainage system with the help of a system that would
enable a proper utilisation of an alerting procedure that would initiate an alarm every time the
overflow is about to occur is the probable solution to the problem so that a proper mitigation
strategy can be instigated.
The users of the end product would be the people in Australia, especially the people in
the Yarra regency community. The collaboration for the project is developed for these people
as they are the ones who usually face problems due to the blockage of Roadside storm water
drains.
The blockage of storm water drains can often cause problems during the times of
extreme and heavy rain. Due to this, the risk of flooding increases significantly where storm

SMART DRAINS INITIATIVE TO REDUCE RISK OF FLOODING2
water drains often overflow. The people residing in that particular area are specifically facing
several problems because of it since there is no system to detect the upcoming overflow due
to blockage. Naturally, there are no ways that mitigation strategies could be applied.
Flooding of general roads can cause a lot of problems for every person who avail the
route for daily commute. Overflowing of the drains will also incorporate the solution with the
help of smart sensor and cloud technology so that the storm water pits in flood prone areas
can be checked. The most important factor is to find a solution for the problem which would
be easier to detect the overflowing so that there can be strategy applied for mitigating the
flooded conditions.
Defining problem
The area that is going to be affected by the project is mostly under a huge risk of
damage caused to general properties. The local flood management system implemented in the
area are receiving drainage related challenges and issues every now and then. There are
several reports of long-term issues and analysis reporting upcoming failure of the system that
is depicted on the drainage system because of another future problem. The risks are going to
increase even more because of the rise in the rain percentage on earth by 7%. The solution to
this problem is going to be found out with the help of this project.
The primary need of the project managers handling the project is have the
organization goals fulfilled, which is developing a better drainage system that would provide
the residents and the other people in the area with low risk of flooding issues that can occur
with over excessive rainfall; with alerts sent for and upcoming drainage overflow. The
customers are right now requiring a proper drainage system that would not flood the area
even if there is a chance of increase in rainfall by 7% in the area.