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Stormwater management

Protecting our water environments and urban stormwater

The value of our waterways is important to present and future generations. In spite of increasing populations and levels of development in urban catchments, many streams and waterways still retain significant natural value and provide important environmental, commercial and recreational benefits. It is important that these uses are protected from the threat of stormwater pollution.

Environmental studies have found that some of the main areas of poor environmental quality in our waterways correspond with urban stormwater inputs from drains, creeks and rivers. This is so for the Yarra River. Studies in regional Victoria have also highlighted urban stormwater pollution as a significant cause of long-term degradation of important water environments. Waterways close to regional centres are particularly vulnerable to stormwater impacts.

Protection of our waterways largely depends upon improved management of pollution carried by stormwater. This has become apparent in Australian cities and overseas, where better management of stormwater within urban catchments has now become an essential component of improved water quality management programs.

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Local governments and urban stormwater management

Local government plays a significant role in improving the environmental management of urban stormwater. Local stormwater management plans allow councils to develop an integrated approach to urban stormwater quality. Plans should consider all council functions and the impact they have on stormwater quality.

An effective stormwater management plan (SWMP) to improve urban stormwater quality must:

  • have council-wide commitment, both to the plan and its implementation
  • set priorities for the council's management of urban stormwater
  • include clearly stated strategic objectives
  • incorporate a risk-based assessment of issues and threats
  • include strategies with clear actions that address priority risks, together with measurable environmental outcomes wherever possible
  • follow the principle of continuous improvement
  • engage all stakeholders and
  • have successfully been developed using the best practice methodology.

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Urban stormwater best practice environmental management guidelines

The Urban Stormwater Best Practice Environmental Management Guidelines (BPEMG) published by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in 1999 were developed by EPA, Melbourne Water, Municipal Association of Victoria, local government, industry and Department of Natural Resources and Environment, to support the implementation of best practice by all key stakeholders.

The guidelines are the product of considerable research and technical review of a wide range of urban stormwater management issues and measures. Planners, engineers, educators and managers within local government, catchment management organisations and the community will find the guidelines useful. The BPEMG can be downloaded from the CSIRO website. (Adobe PDF file, 265KB)

The guidelines aim to help improve the quality of urban stormwater entering receiving waters by:

  • defining requirements for the environmental management of urban stormwater
  • providing tools that can reduce sources of urban stormwater pollution or remove pollutants from stormwater
  • guiding the development of Stormwater Management Plans and
  • guiding the selection and application of various stormwater management tools.

The guidelines are a toolbox designed to meet the needs of people involved in the planning, design or management of urban land uses or stormwater systems. They provide guidance in ten key areas:

  1. environmental performance objectives and principles;
  2. stormwater management planning;
  3. land use planning;
  4. water sensitive urban design;
  5. construction site management;
  6. business surveys;
  7. education and awareness;
  8. municipal operations and enforcement;
  9. structural treatment measures; and
  10. flow management.

Sustainable Neighbourhoods Clause 56 – Victorian Planning Provisions

The revised Clause 56 of the Victorian Planning Provisions – the new residential subdivision provisions – will come into effect from 9 October 2006.

Clause 56 is the Residential Subdivisions component of the Victoria Planning Provisions (VPP) and the basis for all local council planning schemes in Victoria.

The Clause applies the Neighbourhood Principles set out in Melbourne 2030 -- planning for sustainable growth to deliver more sustainable built environments.

Sustainable Neighbourhoods provides clear objectives to support and promote walking, cycling, public transport, the neighbourhood street network, integrated water management and subdivision construction site management.

Integrated water management provides a new and more sustainable basis for managing water in residential subdivisions by conserving potable (drinking quality) water, providing opportunities for reusing and recycling water for non-drinking purposes and managing the quality as well as quantity of urban run-off.

In particular, the new mandatory 'integrated water management' provisions for urban runoff will, amongst other things, contribute to improved stormwater water quality and assist in achieving the objectives of the State Environment Protection Policy (Waters of Victoria).

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