The Parramatta River Catchment Group (PRCG) is making progress on two key initiatives to improve stormwater management and reduce litter across the catchment.

Through the WSUD Uplift Project – Standardise the Standards, consultants are working with member councils to streamline planning controls, embed water quality targets, and support consistent compliance and education around Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD). Practical resources are also being developed to help developers and property managers design and maintain WSUD infrastructure.

The project complements the PRCG’s development of an integrated litter prevention roadmap, funded through the NSW EPA’s Waste and Sustainable Materials (WASM) Strategy 2041 Litter Prevention Grants Program. It aims to align council efforts with the NSW Government’s litter reduction targets – 30% less plastic litter by 2025 and 60% less overall litter by 2030. Studies show coordinated action is essential, with Inner West Council finding it costs 13 times more to clean up litter than to capture it in a bin.

This work lays the foundation for future funding bids, including up to $1 million through the Streets to Sea program, and builds momentum through training and collaboration with the NSW EPA’s ‘Own it and Act’ framework.

Image: Wangal Park Wetland, Croydon.