Mount Evelyn to lead the way on stormwater reuse"
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
An Australian-first initiative that encourages residents to use more of their stormwater runoff at home is being proposed for parts of Mount Evelyn, Minister for Water Peter Walsh announced today.
“This two year pilot, developed by Yarra Ranges Council and Melbourne Water, aims to dramatically reduce the amount of stormwater runoff and pollution entering the Little Stringybark Creek,” Mr Walsh said.
“Yarra Ranges Council has proposed an Environmental Significance Overlay to apply to new developments in the Little Stringybark Creek catchment which create additional hard surfaces, such as roofs or paving, that are greater than 10 square metres.
“Planning approval will be conditional on the proponents finding options to capture and treat more of their stormwater runoff onsite.
“This pilot program encourages residents to capture their stormwater at home and use it to flush their toilets, water their gardens and for other non-drinking purposes around the home.
“It is a practical example of how Integrated Water Cycle Management can be tailored to suit the needs of local communities, and it is the type of project that fits neatly with the Victorian Coalition Government’s Living Victoria objectives.
“We will be monitoring the success of this pilot closely and there is potential for similar programs to be applied to other catchments across Melbourne,” Mr Walsh said.
Member for Evelyn Christine Fyffe said since the drought there were strong community expectations that better use be made of all available water sources, including stormwater, rainwater and recycled water, and it was exciting to see this pilot project going ahead.
“Not only will households in our community be reducing their demand for drinking water and saving money on future water bills, they will also be helping to improve the health of one of our local waterways,” Mrs Fyffe said.
Yarra Ranges Councillor Maria McCarthy said the pilot program was a win for the Little Stringybark Creek.
“One of the major sources of pollution and causes of erosion in the creek is stormwater runoff,” Ms McCarthy said.
“Every time it rains, large amounts of stormwater are washed from roofs, roads and footpaths and into the creek through the drainage system.
“As more development occurs, the volume of stormwater flowing into the creek increases, which damages the creek and causes erosion. Stormwater also carries litter and pollution into the creek affecting water quality,” Ms McCarthy said.
Throughout the trial, all stormwater capture and treatment systems will be awarded a stormwater retention score.
Calculated by Melbourne Water, the score will be based on the ability to treat and capture stormwater on site, with a minimum score needed for new developments to proceed.
Treatment options such as raingardens or rainwater tanks that go beyond the minimum requirements may be eligible for partial or full reimbursement by Melbourne Water.
Households may also be eligible for Victorian Government rebates through the Living Victoria Water Rebate Program.
The proposed Environmental Significance Overlay has been released for comment until 11 March 2013. For more information visit the Yarra Ranges Council website or download the project brochure.
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