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Stormwater Harvesting and Other Projects

Stormwater can be used for many purposes including watering sporting ovals, golf courses and to replenish wetlands. There are many stormwater harvesting projects in operation around Melbourne.

There are projects in various locations around Melbourne as shown in the following maps.

The definitions used in the maps are as follows:

Stormwater Harvesting Projects

Projects incorporating stormwater treatment, harvesting and use, with a view to reducing the demand for drinking water.

Recycled Water Use Projects

Operational projects incorporating recycled water use, with a view to reducing the demand for drinking water. In addition to the specific projects shown on the map, recycled water (fully treated effluent from our sewerage treatment plants) is used for irrigation schemes (e.g. the Eastern Irrigation Scheme in Melbourne’s south-east which provides over 6 billion litres of recycled water for such activities as agricultural irrigation and to protect environmental flows.

Water Sensitive Urban Design Projects

These projects focus on stormwater treatment and the protection of waterways. Increasingly however, the term water sensitive urban design (WSUD) has started to recognise the fact that stormwater – if captured – can also be an alternative water source to substitute the use of drinking water. While WSUD to some people encompasses stormwater harvesting (and can even be used interchangeably with ‘integrated water strategy’ projects), we have separated them out to avoid confusion.

This separation, as represented on the maps, highlights the slow but accelerating move towards integrated water strategy projects. They currently account for only a handful of examples, but their importance and visibility is growing considerably.

Integrated Water Strategy Projects

Projects designed to take into account the entire urban water cycle, aiming to reduce the demand for drinking water, reduce the volume of wastewater, improve stormwater runoff quality and harmful peak stormwater flows to waterways.

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD)/Stormwater Treatment Projects

Projects with a primary focus on improving stormwater runoff quality, reducing peak flows and protecting waterways. According to the key principles of WSUD, as stated in the Urban Stormwater - Best Practice Environmental Management Guidelines, the main aims are to:

  • Protect natural systems
  • Integrate stormwater treatment into the landscape
  • Protect water quality
  • Reduce runoff and peak flows
  • Add value while minimising development costs.
Alternative Water Resource and Water Sensitive Urban Design Projects

This map is a combination of all of the above projects to show where these projects are located across greater Melbourne. The common aim for all projects is to reduce demand on drinking water supplies by using alternative water sources that are fit for purpose.

Project types presented in the maps include:

  • Infiltration system: a shallow, excavated trench filled with gravel and rock, which collects runoff. Stormwater filtrates from the trench into the surrounding soil, while particles and some pollutants are retained in the trench. The trench discharges the treated stormwater into a conventional pipe system.
  • Pervious pavement: an alternative to conventional pavements. They allow stormwater to be filtered through rocks and gravel, and may allow infiltration to the underlying soil. Pervious pavements can also be provided with an underground tank in appropriate locations to collect filtered stormwater, which can then be used for other purposes.
  • Raingarden (bioretention system): a water sensitive garden that is positioned to receive stormwater from hard surfaces such as paved areas or driveways. Raingardens filter stormwater before it flows into stormwater drains and on to rivers, creeks and bays. Also see: Raingardens Program.
  • Rainwater collection: Large-scale rainwater harvesting and reuse schemes, typically at an estate scale.
  • Sediment trap: contains a permanent pool of water to slow down stormwater flows and trap coarse sediment. These devices can be in the form of a tank or a pond and can therefore be above or below ground. They provide limited fine sediment and soluble pollutant removal.
  • Swale: channels that provide for stormwater collection and conveyance. Swales may simply be grass-lined or more densely vegetated and/or landscaped. While swales provide for stormwater conveyance, they also lead to the screening or removal of gross pollutants, such as litter and coarse sediment, from stormwater runoff.
  • Tree pits: a bioretention feature similar to raingardens, however they typically only feature trees, rather than different types of vegetation. Because they are small they are suited to roadside or kerbside use and can be integrated easily into existing streetscape designs.
  • Wetland: an area of land covered by shallow water. Wetlands act as sponges, storing and soaking up excess water, and as filters, cleaning water before it flows on to other natural waterways.