Water Management Issues Affecting Local

Government Today

Water Management Issues Water Conservation

Climate change Over-consumption of potable water resources Environmental degradation Over-use of groundwater supplies

Water Management Issues Wetlands, Watercourse and Catchment Management

Unsustainable farming practices – excessive use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers

Land-based salinity Detrimental land-use Low water quality/quantity Degraded fringing vegetation and invasive species Erosion

Water Management Issues Water Sensitive Urban Design

Rainwater runoff wasted Stormwater drainage contaminating wetlands and watercourses Landscaped areas wasting potable supplies High import and export of water-supply between catchments Water-consumptive building designs

Water Conservation

Water Conservation Community education and awareness

Information seminars/talks Brochures and online information Community and/or corporate involvement – eg, “Friends of…”

associations, local re-vegetation projects School programs and competitions Education tools – eg, a working “water-sensitive” household for

community and school groups to view Promotion of message via popular events and festivals Local councils to set the standard through best practice water

conservation methods

Water Conservation Monitoring of usage

Reduced rate or local government sponsored water audits of homes and businesses

Monitoring of council water usage and water-sensitivity of works and developments

Council involvement in programs such as the ICLEI Water CampaignTM where “Milestones” to reach are pre-determined

Water Conservation

Planning and policy Building standards to comply with water-sensitive design Policies to ensure retrofitting of high water-consumptive devices

over a specific period of time, i.e. toilets, faucets, shower heads (whether only for corporate or community as well)

Council landscaping designed with water tolerant vegetation Incorporation of rainwater tanks, Greywater systems and

Stormwater runoff into building and landscaping council policy

Water Conservation Programs to guide participants in reducing water

consumption Showerhead exchange Water-sensitive landscaping advice/services and brochures or

online support Online programs to track daily water consumption and determine

inexpensive methods of reduction – eg, online self-audit “Target” programs where the householder or business-owner

aims to reach specific targets within a pre-determined time-frame

Water Conservation Water harvesting and reuse by local councils

Use of harvested Greywater on council-owned parks, ovals and landscaped areas

Rainwater collection and storage – for use within council-owned buildings

Stormwater treatment and direction to depleted wetlands

Wetland, Watercourse and Catchment

Management

Wetland, Watercourse and Catchment Management

Land-use planning Management of land to minimise sediment transport and

mobilisation of nutrients and/or contaminants Re-positioning works that are detrimental to nearby

watercourses and/or wetlands where possible Consideration of the effects of specific land-use upon wetland

fauna and flora Rehabilitation of degraded areas, especially buffering vegetation

in wetlands close to environmentally detrimental practices Proponents to demonstrate land-use changes or development

will not have a detrimental effects on nearby wetlands and watercourses (Swan River Trust, November 2009)

Wetland, Watercourse and Catchment Management

Water Quality Management Regular monitoring of wetlands and watercourses to ensure

nutrients, TSS and TDS are within acceptable levels Discourage the use (and especially over-use) of super-

phosphate by landowners Use of fly-ash around wetlands for the adsorption and

precipitation of phosphorous (Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2009)

Wetland, Watercourse and Catchment Management

Groundwater Management Re-vegetation of denuded, low-lying land to reduce potential

salinity issues Monitoring of water levels via piezometric wells Recharging of groundwater with reclaimed water (eg, Greywater,

Stormwater, rainwater)

Wetland, Watercourse and Catchment Management

Stakeholder education and collaboration Discourage the use (and especially over-use) of super-

phosphate by landowners Education for landholders in the benefits of tree-planting on their

properties Education for business and community on the importance of

wetlands Encouragement of community groups in wetland rehabilitation

efforts

Water Sensitive Urban Design

Water Sensitive Urban Design Rainwater harvesting and reuse

Collection of rainwater from “safe” areas such as building roofs Rainwater used in place of potable water – showering, dish

washing, clothes washing, drinking Can also be incorporated into a Stormwater Management

System from downpipes (Melbourne Water, 2002)

Water Sensitive Urban Design Stormwater Management Systems

New corporate and community developments to follow best management practices – eg, the Stormwater Management Manual for Western Australia (DoW, 2004-2007) and Decision Process for Stormwater Management in WA (DoW, 2009)

Natural flow regimes where applicable and subsoil drainage Minimum water quality treatment requirements, as indicated in

Part 4 of the Swan and Canning Rivers Act 2006 when completed (Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality, 2000 in the interim)

Use in recharging groundwater or replenishing natural and artificial wetlands and watercourses

Water Sensitive Urban Design Greywater harvesting and reuse

New council buildings to install Greywater Systems for use in landscape, parks and ovals controlled by council

Retrofitting of Greywater Systems to established council buildings where applicable

Rebates on Greywater Systems for householders and businesses

Water Sensitive Urban Design Protect and enhance natural water systems within urban

landscapes Recharging with treated Greywater and Stormwater runoff Re-vegetation with focus on buffering zones in fringing

vegetation around wetlands Land-use around water systems to be carefully planned and

managed Regular monitoring of water quality and general wetland health

Summary

Main themes: Education and community involvement Council setting the best practice standards via council-controlled

properties Regular monitoring of surface and groundwater sources Rehabilitation of degraded wetland areas Land-use being appropriate to it’s proximity to sensitive

wetlands/watercourses/catchments Implementation of water-saving and water reuse practices

References International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (2008) ICLEI Water CampaignTM

Actions Report (pdf), viewed 10 August, 2010. <http://www.iclei.org/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/ANZ/Publications-Oceania/Reports/0812-WaterActionsReport08.pdf>

Swan River Trust (November, 2009) Draft Policy SRT/D4 Stormwater Management (pdf), viewed 9 August, 2010. <http://www.swanrivertrust.wa.gov.au/planning/policies/Documents/srt_d4_stormwater_management_draft.pdf>

Melbourne Water and Knox City Council (2002) Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD): For large scale developments or small scale/one off projects (pdf), viewed 10 August, 2010. <http://www.melbournewater.com/content/library/wsud/mw_wsud_brochure.pdf>

Department of Water (2004-2007) Stormwater Management Manual for Western Australia

Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council and Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand, Canberra (ANZECC & ARMCANZ) (2000) Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality, National Water Quality Management Strategy No 4