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Coastal and Marine Pollution
Volume 1, Issue 2
Environment Australia, December 2000
Urban councils and private developers are integrating water sensitive urban design into a range of new buildings across Australia.
This edition of Stormwater News highlights some innovative techniques for reducing and recycling stormwater runoff.
Some designs incorporate runoff into water sculptures and artworks. Projects included in this edition have received support from the Urban Stormwater Initiative and the Clean Seas program.
Stormwater News encourages the sharing of ideas on environmentally sensitive stormwater use.
If you would like more information about Stormwater News, contact Garry Reynolds on telephone 02 6274 2005 or send an email to: garry.reynolds@deh.gov.au
A $12m study by the CSIRO has identified stormwater pollution as the major threat to Melbourne's Port Philip Bay. Local Waterwatch groups fear that a fairy penguin colony near St.Kilda is threatened by stormwater flows with high levels of dissolved oxygen and nitrates.
A contribution of $267,000 from the Commonwealth's Urban Stormwater Initiative is strengthening efforts by the City of Port Phillip and Inkerman Developments Pty Ltd to protect the marine environment.
A former council works depot site at St.Kilda will be transformed into a water sensitive urban housing estate known as the 'Inkerman Oasis'.
First flush stormwater and ground flow will be treated by a large subsurface flow wetland and sand filter. This water will be combined with recycled greywater and used on a roof garden, other landscaping, and in toilet flushing.
The environment and resident's hip pockets will benefit year after year with a reduction in mains water use by up to 45%.
Twenty-eight of the 236 apartments are being reserved for community housing in an innovative arrangement between the Council and the developer. All the remaining units have been sold off the plan.
Michael King, Inkerman Development's Development Manager says, "water sensitive urban design used to be the way of the future. Buyers are clamouring to invest in that future now".
For further information
Contact: Gary Spivak (City of Port Phillip) on 03 9209 6752 or email gspivak@portphillip.vic.gov.au
The Gold Coast's Carrara catchment has it all - industry, commercial enterprise, residential properties and tourist attractions. Although these developments sit side-by-side in relative harmony, their stormwater by-product is impacting on the Nerang River system, which feeds into the Southport Broadwater and Southern Moreton Bay.
Urban runoff, bank erosion, increasing sediment loads and acid sulphate soils are challenges that the Gold Coast City Council has decided to tackle.
The Gold Coast Region has experienced high growth rates for more than four decades. With a residential population of 400,000 the region also attracts four million tourists each year. In the next two decades, this region will become the second biggest urban area in Australia. Stormwater problems can only increase if action is not taken.
The Council is addressing water quality issues through a whole-of-catchment approach with an integrated train of stormwater quality improvement devices.
Solids, sediments, oil and grease will be treated in gross pollutant traps, wetlands and bio-retention systems. Stream naturalisation and restoration processes are planned, to stop sediment loss at its source.
Source control measures within community and industry sectors will supplement these structural measures. An education and awareness program, with links to the regional Healthy Waterways campaign will be put in place.
These initiatives are supported with over $1m from the Commonwealth's Urban Stormwater Initiative and with matching funding from the Gold Coast City Council.
Mayor, Gary Baildon, emphasised that 'the Gold Coast relies heavily on its natural waterways, canals and beaches as a draw card for residents and visitors.'
The Carrara initiative will serve as a demonstration project for the other eighteen councils in the South East Queensland (SEQ) region, as well as regions responding to similar development pressures along the Australian coast. Lessons will be incorporated into the SEQ Regional Water Quality Management Strategy.
"Projects such as this are vital if we are to ensure the long-term health of our waterways." Gold Coast Mayor, Gary Baildon
For further information
Contact Allan Lush of Gold Coast City Council on (07) 55816473 or email alush@goldcoast.qld.gov.au
or Trevor Lloyd of SEQ Regional Water Quality Management Strategy on 07 3403 4206 or email mbs5@brisbane.qld.gov.au
Hobart's Brighton district, once shunned by public housing residents and businesses, now has to cope with increasing demand from people wanting to live and work in the area. This is largely due to the introduction of innovative environmental initiatives along the Derwent Estuary at Brighton.
Eleven Hobart sewage treatment plants and two large industrial plants discharge treated effluent directly into the Derwent. Urban runoff from ten major urban rivulets and over 270 drains add to the Derwent Estuary 'cocktail'.
A grant of $780,000 from the Commonwealth Government's Clean Seas Program has helped to redirect wastewater and stormwater from the Bridgewater treatment plant on Brighton's section of the Estuary.
Brighton Council has constructed a 24 km reuse pipeline network to irrigate forestry, a golf course and farmland. This has created new enterprise and employment opportunities. A range of intensive crops, including opium poppies are now being grown by local farmers who have constructed storage and balancing ponds for the scheme.
According to farmer Chris Gunn, 'if it hadn't been for this reuse scheme we would have to sell large sections of land that the family had worked for five generations.'
The reuse project has now created a new irrigation area in Hobart, Australia's second driest capital. Between January and November 2000, approximately 580 Mega litres of treated effluent and 50 Mega litres of stormwater were diverted from the Derwent to farms.
The reuse of stormwater as part of this environmental package has set other Hobart councils planning what they can do with this resource.
For further information
Contact: Warren Lee, Brighton Council at %20warren@brighton.tas.gov.au
Sydney's Kogarah Council is creating a new Town Square with 'best practice' stormwater harvesting, reuse and treatment. The exciting redevelopment is in partnership with Sydney Water, the Institute for Sustainable Futures and the development company High Trade Pty Ltd.
The Commonwealth is providing $629 000, from the Urban Stormwater Initiative as a catalyst for the reuse project.
The redevelopment is located between the two highly urbanised catchments of Cooks River and Georges River. Both rivers flow into Botany Bay, which is suffering from urban stormwater pollution.
The new Town Square will comprise 101 residential apartments, 224 parking spaces, commercial retail outlets, a public library and the Town Square.
The redevelopment's environmental design features a stormwater filtration system using garden beds with 'ecosoil'. A surge tank will handle high stormwater flows prior to discharge to the filtration system. Rainwater will be collected in a series of tanks and used for toilet flushing, landscaping, carwash bays, and public water sculptures.
Sydney Water will carry out an evaluation of the project and monitor water quality and consumption.
This project will showcase what is possible in a highly urbanised area.
'Kogarah Town Square will be a comfortable and environmentally friendly public place - not cold and Gotham City like,' Cr Nick Katris said.
For further information
Contact: Rob Snelling on 02 9330 9561 or email rskmc@kogarah.nsw.gov.au
Stormwater runoff from Townsville flows into Cleveland Bay, part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and a dugong protected area.
Through the leadership of the Townsville City Council, industry and community groups are responding to threats to the water quality of the Great Barrier Reef. Funding of $1m from the Commonwealth's Clean Seas program and the Urban Stormwater Initiative is driving innovative tropical solutions.
Organisations involved include the Central Business District Taskforce, Townsville Port Authority, Queensland Rail, BHP Cannington, Australian Trust for Conservation Volunteers, Sunfish and community catchment groups.
This regional consortium is implementing a range of treatment solutions for localised stormwater pollution. The construction of stormwater treatment trains is an essential component of an integrated catchment approach. The aim is to capture and treat pollutants before entering two waterways: Ross and Louisa Creeks.
Trial remediation approaches on Ross Creek are being carried out to reduce the incidence of Anabaena algal blooms, leaching from past dumps, and the impacts of litter. Filtration catalysts and absorbents to remove heavy metal and organic contamination are also being trialed.
In Louisa Creek, small treatment wetlands, tailored to specific tropical design constraints, will be constructed. These constraints include a long dry season; low lying catchments; limited ground or surface water storage; narrow residential and industrial drainage corridors; and tropical monsoon events.
Deep ponds in Louisa Creek will enhance the fisheries habitat value and be protected from low flow stormwater pollution by the treatment train wetlands.
The success of the Louisa and Ross Creek initiatives could revolutionise stormwater management in tropical areas.
For further information
Contact: Greg Bruce on 07 4727 9000 or email gab@townsville.qld.gov.au
Marine and Water Division
Department of the Environment and Heritage
GPO Box 787
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Phone: 02 6274 2005
Fax: 02 6274 1006
Email: garry.reynolds@deh.gov.au
http://www.deh.gov.au/coasts/pollution/usi/index.html
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