Stormwater

Stormwater is rain that is not absorbed into the earth. Rain falling on your roof, driveway, roads and footpaths flows untreated into the street gutter and is carried away through a system of pipes. The pipes or stormwater system carries the water and any pollution collected on the way straight into the local wetlands and creeks. Unlike sewage, it isn't treated before it goes into the waterways.

Pollutants not only have a negative effect on the aquatic environment but also on all the organisms that live in and use the waterways. Any litter, garden waste, oil, heavy metals or other chemicals that the stormwater collects on hard surfaces like roads and in the gutters will end up in the waterways we use for swimming, fishing and recreation.

We are actively undertaking stormwater management projects to protect and improve water quality, as well as conserve, restore and enhance the City’s biological diversity and ecosystem health. In addition to this, water sensitive urban design (WSUD) and integrated water cycle management is incorporated into new developments to help reverse waterway degradation caused by stormwater.