5. Reduce stormwater runoff
Overview
Stormwater runoff, and all the rubbish and other pollution it brings with it, is the number one way our river gets dirty. A catchment-wide approach to reducing this runoff will use water sensitive urban design that absorbs and filters rain where it lands to improve water quality.
There are currently nine councils, Transport for NSW and the Sydney Olympic Park Authority (SOPA) that sit on a Stormwater Subcommittee which is dedicated to adopting a regional approach to the installation, maintenance of water sensitive urban design (WSUD) and stormwater infrastructure for the catchment. As part of this, the Subcommittee is:
- Reviewing council expenditure on stormwater infrastructure with a goal to adopt a regional outlook on investment.
- Auditing existing stormwater infrastructure assets across the catchment with a goal of identifying gaps and developing innovative responses to stormwater issues.
- Reviewing councils’ policies when it comes to the design, investment, installation and maintenance of stormwater infrastructure, including how infrastructure is procured and how it is maintained on both public and private land.
- Incorporating WSUD where appropriate for council areas, and improved stormwater management responses on roadways and parklands.
- Educating council and state government employees on best practice stormwater management to facilitate a shift in culture to best practice WSUD in the catchment.
Recommendation
Adopt a regional approach to the installation, maintenance and reporting of stormwater infrastructure and water sensitive urban design (WSUD) infrastructure.
Timeframe
Ongoing.
Lead Agency
City of Parramatta and Sydney Water.
Current Measure
The workplan, as agreed by the subcommittee, is progressed on time and in budget.
Status Update
The Stormwater Subcommittee continues to meet on a regular basis. The priorities of the group centre around improving the capacity of councils to build and manage green infrastructure that will treat stormwater before it enters our river and impacts on swim sites. The Delivery Engine is working on pathways to fund more stormwater treatment infrastructure, as well as prioritising where infrastructure is required in the catchment.
- Microbial hazards in urban stormwater and their removal through Water Sensitive Urban Design
- Stormwater Subcommittee Workplan – 21 April 2020
- Desktop Analysis of Public Water Sensitive Urban Design infrastructure results
- Stormwater Survey results
Progress Timeline
October – December 2020
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July – September 2020
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April – June 2020
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January – March 2020
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October – December 2019
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July – September 2019
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April – June 2019
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Useful Links
There are a number of resources and best practice examples currently in place for Water Sensitive Urban Design and stormwater infrastructure types: