Title: Working with councils to achieve best practice stormwater management in the Sydney catchment area
Abstract: Best practice management for stormwater management is the adoption of Integrated Water Cycle Management and for the treatment of urban stormwater, Water Sensitive Urban Design. Councils are land managers and regulators across the Sydney catchment area and, in this capacity, have the ability to significantly impact the rate, quantity and quality of stormwater run-off into local waterways. WaterNSW (formerly the Sydney Catchment Authority) can influence better stormwater management through legislation and through partnership programs. Through these tools WaterNSW works in partnership with councils to reduce the risks to water quality, public health and the environment from stormwater. To help inform the development of these programs, WaterNSW worked with Molino Stewart and catchment councils on an Evaluation of Stormwater Management Practices in the Sydney Drinking Water Catchment. This study looked at council practices in the key management areas (KMA) of community education, council commitment, awareness and training, catchment planning, stormwater treatment, new development and operations and maintenance. The evaluation identified a number of recommendations that would help councils move towards the implementation of better management practices. After consulting with councils on the findings and recommendations, tailored action plans were developed for each council. These Action Plans outline how WaterNSW and council would work together to adopt a more holistic approach to water management and integrate water sensitive urban design into council processes and policies. Implementing the initiatives in the plans in turn will help to improve water quality at its source within the catchment.
Publication Year: 2015
Publication Date: 2015-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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