WSUD in Sydney e-newsletters

WSUD Technical Guide Part 1 (3Mb)

WUSD Technical Guide Part 2 - Appendices (2Mb)

POTENTIAL WSUD CLAUSES

Councils may like to incorporate one or more of the following clauses into council reports, tenders, expression of interest briefs etc. and to facilitate the uptake of Water Sensitive Urban Design in projects that have the potential to incorporate WSUD elements. Examples of clauses may include:

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) aims to manage the effects of urban development on the urban water cycle by considering the management of potable water, wastewater and stormwater elements in an integrated manner.

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) elements are to be integrated into the redevelopment of the …….. so as to meet the targets established in the Council’s WSUD Development Control Plan.

A Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) specialist is to be engaged by the developer to integrate and configure WSUD elements into the masterplan.

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) can be integrated into the development footprint as landscaped vegetated areas, which double as treatment elements. For more information on WSUD elements please refer to Councils’ WSUD Policy.

To ensure terms used are uniform, the Australian Government has launched a Water Dictionary which contains definitions of specific water terms and acronyms. The dictionary also enables the recognition of state specific or jurisdictional terms on entitlements and trade terminology. To access the dictionaryrefer: http://dictionary.nwc.gov.au/water_dictionary/index.cfm

Other Technical Guides/Handbooks for WSUD

A range of council focussed technical stormwater management resources and tools were developed (or are in development) by the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change and the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority. Development was to facilitate the application of improved stormwater management practices in NSW.

The primary guidance documents relating to urban stormwater management and WSUD in NSW are NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change's Managing Urban Stormwater (MUS) series of documents:

MUS: An Integrated Approach provides guidance for local councils in the incremental improvement of their stormwater management activities. It provides broad strategic and policy advice, and promotes a multi-objective and integrated approach to stormwater management. When released, this document will be accessible at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/stormwater For specific release dates, please contact Mike Sharpin, Principal Projects Officer on (02) 9995 6068.

MUS: Environmental Targets identify recommended environmental targets for stormwater management that councils and other stormwater managers can adopt when preparing stormwater strategies for existing urban areas, and for new developments. When released, this document will be accessible at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/stormwater For specific release dates, please contact Mike Sharpin, Principal Projects Officer on (02) 9995 6068.

MUS: Harvesting and Reuse provides guidance on key considerations for stormwater harvesting and reuse projects, particularly relating to planning, design and operation (including maintenance and monitoring). This document can be downloaded at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/stormwater

MUS: Treatment Techniques provides guidance to stormwater planners, managers and designers on the selection and functional (or conceptual) design of a range of commonly used stormwater treatment measures. It will also present information on key design and construction considerations to optimise pollutant retention performance, safety and cost-effectiveness of these measures. Available mid - 2009, this document will be accessible at www.ipwea.org.au For specific release dates, please contact Mike Sharpin, Principal Projects Officer on (02) 9995 6068.

MUS: Operation and Maintenance provides guidance to stormwater managers in the operation and maintenance of a range of primary, secondary and tertiary stormwater treatment measures. When released, this document will be accessible at www.ipwea.org.au For specific release dates, please contact Mike Sharpin, Principal Projects Officer on (02) 9995 6068.

MUS: Soils and Construction – Volume 1- 4th Edition (Landcom, 2004) is also known as ‘The Blue Book’, this document provides detailed guidance on soil erosion and sediment control at urban development sites. A short brochure is also available, which identifies how soil erosion and sediment pollution can be minimised on single residential allotments, to help builders and developers of such sites. Councils are able to add their respective names and logos onto the brochure, and distribute it free-of-charge to builders and developers working in their LGA. These documents can be purchased from Landcom at www.landcom.nsw.gov.au/publications

MUS: Soils and Construction – Volume 2 provides guidance on the application of the extensive erosion and sediment control guidance provided in Volume 1, to specific ‘non-urban’ development types or activities that pose significant erosion and sediment pollution issues. This document will address erosion and sediment control at mines and quarries, waste landfills, main road construction sites, unsealed roads and service installation projects (e.g. pipeline construction/installation etc.). When released, this document will be accessible at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/stormwater For specific release dates, please contact Mike Sharpin, Principal Projects Officer on (02) 9995 6068.

A Resource Guide for Local Councils – Erosion and Sediment Control identifies how local councils can develop, adopt and maintain a consistent and rigorous approach to erosion and sediment control across their areas of operations. It presents a series of recommendations and resources that can be used by council officers in their development of an integrated and effective approach to erosion and sediment control. This document can be downloaded from www.environment.nsw.gov.au/stormwater

A Resource Guide for Local Councils – Environmental Management of Council Operations – aims to support local councils in developing their environmental management capacity of their operational/field teams. This document can be downloaded from www.environment.nsw.gov.au/stormwater

Other materials or tools being developed by NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) and the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority to assist local councils and development proponents implement improvised stormwater management practices include:

MUSIC Modelling Guidelines for NSW will guide development proponents, their consultants, local councils and other stormwater managers in their use of the MUSIC stormwater model in NSW. One primary aim of the document is to provide a basis for more rigourous and consistent use of the model, such that local councils can be confident that reasonable and appropriate assumptions and paramaters have been adopted in model set-up. The Guideline will also assist to user to apply the MUSIC model to conceptually design and assess development proposals in terms of stormwater flow targets (eg. Stream erosion index, wetland hydrology targets). Scheduled to be completed in June 2009, this document will be accessible on eWater’s modelling toolkit website www.toolkit.net.au

Until the NSW MUSIC Guideline’s release, you may like to refer to a copy of Melbourne Water’s Music Input Parameters Guideline. This document is not intended to provide general advice in using MUSIC and should be read in conjunction with the MUSIC U sers M anual , keeping in mind also it was developed for Melbourne only . The purpose of the document is aimed at supporting those submitting MUSIC models to Melbourne Water, the objectives being as follows . For a copy of the guideline refer: http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/library/wsud/guidelines_for_the_use_of_music.pdf :

• Ensure a consistent; scientifically based approach is applied to MUSIC models.
• Provide guidance on methods specific to the Melbourne region without inhibiting innovative modelling approaches.
• Reduce the time taken by Melbourne Water in assessing models.

Other regional MUSIC Guidelines are available as follows:
Brisbane City Council, version 7 (avail. since 2003): http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/bccwr/building_and_development/documents/pollutant export modelling guidelines v7_2.pdf

Gold Coast City Council: http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/t_standard.aspx?PID=5782

Mackay Regional Council : http://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/business/strategic_planning/stormwater_management/music_model_for_urban_stormwater_improvement_conceptualisation_guidelines

On-line Stormwater Assessment Tool is a joint initiative with the Sydney Catchment Authority, comprising the development of a simple on-line tool for the conceptual design, configuration and assessment of stormwater management/ WSUD measures on small-scale urban development sites. This project will facilitate the application of WSUD by supporting the application of numeric stormwater management targets to small scale urban developments, which generally do not warrant detailed modelling using tools such as MUSIC. This will be functional throughout NSW, and will be made available for voluntary adoption by individual local councils. The intent is that participating councils will host the tool on their web-site, following its customisation to local conditions and requirements. Available in June 2009, please contact Bob Banens on (02) 4724 2458 or Tracey Hennessy on (02) 4724 2447at the Sydney Catchment Authority.

Model WSUD Standard Local Environment Plan (LEP) Clause promotes improved urban stormwater management and water sensitive urban design through the incorporation of specific clauses into local councils’environmental planning instruments. Inclusion provides the statutory power to enforce specific provisions contained in supporting planning instruments and policies (such as the WSUD component of a council’s consolidated DCP). The document can be downloaded from www.sydney.cma.nsw.gov.au/bbcci For further information, please contact John Dahlenburg, Botany Bay Coastal Catchments Initiative on (02) 9895 6244.

WSUD Development Control Plan (DCP) Guide and Template provides a more rigourous and consistent approach to incorporated stormwater management and WSUD requirements into local councils environmental planning instruments has been recognised as a key impediment to WSUD implementation in NSW. This document comprises both a ‘template’ for such provisions, and a Guide on the manner in which the template should be customised to suit local conditions, including the organisation capabilities of the local councils to support and implement such provisions. Available June 2009, this document will be accessible at www.sydney.cma.nsw.gov.au/bbcci Please contact John Dahlenburg on (02) 9895 6244.

Sydney Water’s Plant Selector enables users to choose plants that are suited to local soil and weather conditions, you can save water without restricting your choice of garden design. The less water drops a plant has been classified with, the more water efficient it is to sustain. Refer: http://www.sydneywater.com.au/Savingwater/InYourGarden/PlantSelector/

The Facility for Advancing Water Biofiltration (FAWB) released a report in September 2007, Guidelines for Soil Filter Media in Bioretention Systems summarising the key findings of its scientific research on the performance of bioretention systems. The document outlines the typical design of biofilters; explains the program research methodology; and a summary of key findings, including 12 published research papers. A great resource for designers accessing best practice research. To download a copy of the report, please refer to http://www.healthywaterways.org/external_documents.html

FAWB also prepared a Practice Note, for the In Situ Measurement of Hydraulic Conductivity to assist practitioners with the assessment of the hydraulic performance of bioretention systems. The test method is designed to complement FAWB’s Guidelines for Soil Filter Media in Bioretention Systems and is accompanied by a set of example calculations (http://www.monash.edu.au/fawb/products/obtain.html ). For the Practice Note, refer http://www.monash.edu.au/fawb/products/index.html

You may also like to refer to South East Queensland's Water by Design website that contain the following suite of best practice guidelines. The guidelines are also supported by training courses held in South East Queensland, refer to their website for further information: http://www.waterbydesign.com.au/events/training:

The Healthy Waterway's Water by Design Program has published a freely available resource, Concept Design Guidelines for Water Sensitive Urban Design. This guideline is intended to assist urban design professionals to conceptualise and develop design solutions that integrate best-practice urban water management management into urban developmentws. While the guideline has been produced for South East Queensland it has relevance across much of Australia and is available at: http://www.waterbydesign.com.au/conceptguide Contents include:

• Introduction to the Guidelines;
• Project Teams and WSUD Conceptual Design Process;
• WSUD Strategies;
• Best Planning Practices (BPP's) ;
• Best Management Practices (BMP's);
• Case Studies .

Water Sensitive Urban Design Technical Design Guidelines for South East Queensland. The guideline describes appropriate methods for the detailed design of some common structural stormwater management measures in South East Queensland (SEQ). Note, if you are using the document outside of SEQ, please ensure that you translate the document into a context suitable for your own region. For example, ensure the data reflects historical rainfall for your region. Developed in collaboration with leading practitioners, local government compliance officers and civil and landscape contractors. While produced for South East Queensland, the guideline also holds relevance across much of Australia . To download the guideline, refer http://www.waterbydesign.com.au/CEguide . Key features include:

• Civil and landscape specifications;
• Step by step construction and establishment procedures and protocols;
• Sign-off checklists and forms for certification and compliance;
• clear illustrations and photographs; and
• A set of A3 sheets which can be laminated and taken on site for handy reference.

The Construction and Establishment Guidelines: Swales, Bioretention Systems and Wetlands was produced for South East Queensland, but h as relevance across much of Australia. Freely availabel for download ( http://www.waterbydesign.com.au/CEguide ), the documents includes the following:

• Civil and landscape specifications;
• Step by step construction and establishment procedures and protocols. Printed on A3, the documents could be laminated for use on-site during construction;
• Sample sign-off forms and checklists for certification and compliance;
• Clear illustrations and photographs;
• A3 sheets, which can be laminated and taken on site for handy reference.

The Water By Design team have also reported that they will be releasing the following documents in due course. This website will be updated with links to these once available:

• Stormwater Harvesting Guidelines (due April 2009);
• MUSIC Modelling Guidelines for SEQ (due May 2009);
• Deemed to Comply Solutions and Standard Drawings (due June 2009).

Marrickville Council’s Urban Stormwater Integrated Management (USWIM) Guideline stemmed from their award winning collaborative integrated urban water management planning project; delivered in partnership with Monash University ’s Urban Water Governance Program. For an overview of the Marrickville’s project scope, refer: http://www.wsud.org/downloads/2006_SWC_Projects/2006_SWC_Marrickville_Planning_Policy.pdf

The Guideline also forms the basis for the Cooks River Sustainability Initiative ( http://www.ourriver.com.au/ ) and an internal project currently being delivered by Strathfield Council, which adapts and applies the principles and scope of the guideline. The Guideline includes 10 essential steps that assist Councils to design an easy-to-adopt sustainable urban water management strategy with a subcatchment focus. The Guideline shows how to identify and define stormwater management priorities, collaborate with your community to create a plan, and finally implement the solutions identified through the planning process.

Using the guideline as a framework, Councils could use the steps and app ly them to their own operations and to guide their Community and/or Integrated Urban Water Management Plan’s development. For a copy , refer: http://www.marrickville.nsw.gov.au/environment/water/sustainablewaterplanning.htm#bottom

If you are interested in information for the Operation and Maintenance of WSUD infrastructure, you may like to refer to the following best-practice guidelines:

Landcom’s Planning and Management Guideline, which consists of descriptions and discussions on urban water best planning and management practices applicable to Landcom projects http://www.landcom.nsw.gov.au/downloads/uploaded/WSUD_Book2_PlanningandManagement_0409_1a73.pdf. You may also be interested to note that Landcom are currently reviewing their strategy documents and seeking stakeholder input (for two elements) to ensure they are an integral resource when incorporating WSUD strategies into developments. Originally, there were three booklets in the WSUD strategy - Policy and Targets; Planning and Management; and Case Studies - and they have just added a fourth booklet, Maintenance (Draft). F or further information about the review, please refer to http://www.landcom.nsw.gov.au/whats-new/publications-reports/water-sensitive-urban-design.aspx The two elements being reviewed are as follows:

• The targets in book one – Policy will be publicly exhibited during May 2009, as part of a formal review of Landcom’s suite of sustainability indicators. Comments on this element of the strategy will be accepted up until COB 1, June 2009;
• Secondly, they are seeking your thoughts and comments on Book 4 – Maintenance (Draft) (link to download below).To ensure we have appropriately responded to WSUD operation and maintenance issues, we are inviting submissions and comments during May and June 2009.

Clearwater, Victoria’s Capacity Building Program presented the maintenance of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) assets in 2007. To access presentations, refer: http://www.clearwater.asn.au/stormwater_infoexchangedetails.cfm?areatopic=true&AreaID=41&TopicID=93&CategoryID=1&ID=652 Attendees were shown:

• Case studies demonstrating how to design a WSUD asset to ensure minimum maintenance
  A showcase of realistic examples highlighting what maintenance of WSUD assets actually requires in the short and longer term including dealing with handover issues;
• Figures on the actual costs associated with the maintenance of WSUD assets;
• Facilitated small-group exercise focused on approximating the costs of maintaining WSUD assets.

Otherwise, you may like to refer to EPA Victoria’s Maintaining Water Sensitive Urban Design Elements. Addressing uncertainty about the maintenance that will be needed after construction, the manual is designed to give council staff and developers the confidence and information to help plan, cost and schedule for WSUD; one of the barriers to the greater adoption of water sensitive urban design (WSUD) for stormwater treatment. Freely available, refer: http://epanote2.epa.vic.gov.au/EPA/Publications.NSF/2f1c2625731746aa4a256ce90001cbb5/5975aa55a1517bb6ca2573760014dc42/$FILE/1226.pdf

Gold Coast City Council’s WSUD Training Awareness Program (April 2008) Workshop Manual was prepared by BMT WBM to prepare and deliver an internal council training program to achieve the following objectives:

• Allow GCCC staff to understand and successfully implement WSUD; and
• Increase the capability of selected Gold Coast City Council (GCCC) officers to carry out further training of GCCC staff.

The training notes do not attempt to restate the comprehensive information already published in WSUD Guid elines and other technical aids, rather the notes generally follow the structure of the training workshop and include :

• General principles of WSUD, summaries of the key design aspects of WSUD devices, and overview of the WSUD tools that GCCC have developed and their applic ation (Section 2);
• Information relating to the construction, approval and asset hand-over of WSUD devices (Section 3) ;
• Information related to the mainten ance procedures of WSUD devices (Section 4) ;
• Summary of recommended processes for the design, design review, construction and maintenance of SQIDs (Section 5).

Councils may wish to use the guideline for adaptation and application within their own councils. If so, please ensure that you reference Gold Coast City Council as the source document. Click Here for a copy of the training manual. Click Here for a copy of a scientific paper presented at the 2008 Joint QLD and NSW Stormwater Industry Association Conference held at the Gold Coast that details the processes adopted by GCCC to facilitate the uptake of WSUD.

Gold Coast City Council also released a set of guidelines for how water-related urban design issues should be addressed by local developers during the construction of new and retrofit developments - WSUD Guideline for Developers. For example, issues such as stormwater flows, flooding, the need for urban wetlands, protection of waterways from erosion and mitigating contaminated run-off from urban development are covered. The guidelines’ integration into official council planning policy is expected to give the council increased leverage by requiring developers to adhere to the guidelines when planning new developments. To download a copy refer as follows:

1. http://www.goldcoastcity.com.au/gcplanningscheme_0509/policy_11.html#guidelines
2. http://www.goldcoastcity.com.au/gcplanningscheme_0509/policy_11.html
3. http://www.goldcoastcity.com.au/t_standard.aspx?PID=3760

The following document, Guidance on an integrated process for designing, operating and maintaining low impact urban design and development devices was developed by the University of Auckland, New Zealand as part of the Low Impact Urban Design and Development (LIUDD) Research Programme. LIUDD is a New Zealand term that incorporates the principles of water sensitive urban design. The document provides guidance on how to design maintenance smart systems. Developed around a checklist, the guidance aims to highlight key considerations around the issues of design, responsibility, mechanisms to ensure ongoing operation and maintenance and tools to support implementation. When using this document, please ensure that you translate it into the correct regional context. Click Here for a copy of the Report.

The City of Chicago in the United States of America has released a resident handbook that explains innovative technologies that will be used to green streetscapes. Including permeable paving, recycled construction materials, energy efficient lighting and residential and commercial improvements. It may provide councils with ideas regarding your own resident education and engagement mechanisms. Refer http://www.resourcesaver.org/file/toolmanager/CustomO16C45F95080.pdf

The CSIRO report commissioned by the National Water Commission summarises the relevant information needed to consider Managed Aquifer Recharge Guideline (MAR) (alongside other alternatives), as a prospective new water supply for drinking or non-potable uses. To date, MAR has not been considered on an equal footing (or as part of) more established alternatives for diversifying urban water sources. Relevant for cities, but also regional communities and rural areas, the report’s aim was to enable decision makers, water utilities and the broader community to consider MAR projects, where appropriate, as part of the water supply portfolio, taking account of costs, security, quality of supply and environmental and social benefits and constraints. http://www.nwc.gov.au/www/html/996-mar--an-introduction---report-no-13--feb-2009.asp?intSiteID=1

WSUD: Basic Procedures for 'Source Control' of Stormwater - A Handbook for Australian Practice First Edition John R Argue (Editor). Released November 2004. Download an abstract and purchase details

WSUD Engineering Procedures: Stormwater Guideline are Victorian specific and were released in May 2005 and are available via Download an abstract and purchase details (CSIRO Publishing)

Australian Runoff Quality (ARQ) Design Guidelines provides an overview of current best practice in the management of urban stormwater in Australia. It is an initiative of the Institution of Engineers, Australia's National Committee on Water Engineering, and contains the following. To order a hard or electronic copy, refer http://www.arq.org.au/ :

• Procedures for the estimation of a range of urban stormwater contaminants;
• Design guidelines for commonly applied stormwater quantity and quality management practices;
• Procedures for the estimation of the performance of these practices; and
• Advice with respect to the development/consideration of integrated urban water cycle management practices.

Guidelines for the Treatment of Stormwater Runoff from Road Infrastructure were released in 2003 and can be downloaded free from www.austroads.com.au

The CSIRO’s Greywater Technology Testing Protocol Report is a laboratory based testing Protocol that details recommended procedures, methods and analysis techniques. Note, this is a draft methodology only, its purpose being a discussion document to be circulated to regulatory bodies, councils, system manufacturers and other stakeholders for comment and discussion. The report includes a description of the protocol as well as details of the processes that were followed during protocol development and the rationale of decisions and recommendations. For a copy of the report, please refer: http://www.smartwater.com.au/projectdocs/project30/Greywater%20Technology%20Testing%20Protocol.pdf

Additional resources that have a more broad sustainability focus are as follows:

Environmental Defenders Office – Fact Sheets - The EDO produces a range of plain English Fact Sheets to explain different aspects of New South Wales and Commonwealth laws which affect the environment and environmental campaigning. http://www.edo.org.au/edonsw/site/factsheets.php

Renters Guide to Sustainability – A free publication from the Alternative Technology Association, councils may like to promote the document to their residents and show them how to make their homes and flats more comfortable, save money and reduce their environmental impact. Refer: http://www.ata.org.au/wp-content/sustainability/ata_renters_guide_sustainability.pdf

The URP Toolbox is a free resource of principles and strategies to enhance meaningful stakeholder involvement in decision-making. The focus is on coastal and catchment environments, but the principles can be used in other areas and for a wide range of issues. Meaningful involvement of all stakeholders occurs through a commitment to social learning - learning on the part of communities, other stakeholders and institutions. This is a fantastic resource. Refer https://www3.secure.griffith.edu.au/03/toolbox/index.php

The NSW Government’s Community Builders website aims to help local communities across the State share ideas on how to enhance and strengthen their community. It was developed in response to the desire expressed by communities to access information about what others are doing and what works to make their community safer, healthier, inclusive, and more vibrant and enterprising. Refer http://www.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au

Enabling Change, a fantastic web based series of resources “Enabling you to change the world” – tools, training, strategies and papers. Refer http://www.enablingchange.com.au/