Publication (Media): From the beach to the ‘burbs: a revolution for healthy waterways

Publication Type:	Media Release
Publication Name:	From the beach to the ‘burbs: a revolution for healthy waterways

Reference Information

Mein, R., Lawrence, I. and Smith, T. (2001) From the beach to the ‘burbs: a revolution for healthy waterways - Jan 13 2001, CRCFE, Canberra - Media Release.

Optional Information

Other information:

Cooperative Research Centres are supported under the Commonwealth Government’s CRC Program
For media assistance, please contact Jenni Metcalfe on 040 855 1866; jenni@econnect.com.au

Cooperative Research Centres Association, Inc.
ABN: 42 892 101 689

Cooperative Research Centres - Delivering Innovation for Australia
CRCA National Office
RSISE Building, Cnr North & Daley Roads
The Australian National University
Canberra ACT 0200
Ph No: 02 6125-8835 Fax No: 02 6125-8836
E-mail: crca@crca.asn.au Web site: http://www.crca.asn.au

From the beach to the ‘burbs: a revolution for healthy waterways

For immediate release, Sunday January 13 2001
CRC researchers are spearheading the quest for better and cheaper water management practices, making your trip to the beach or even staying at home in the suburbs these holidays a better experience.

Down at the beach, the Coastal CRC is recommending an ‘Estuaries of National Significance’ program be developed with States and local councils to protect and manage estuaries, where bodies of fresh water meet and mingle with the sea.

“Our CRC national survey of estuary users shows people know little or nothing about issues affecting estuaries, or even that these areas do suffer from human activity and planning neglect,” says Tim Smith, researcher with the CRC.

“The program we recommend would provide financial assistance for priority protection, restoration and planning projects for estuaries,” he says.

“Considering Australia has more than 970 tropical and temperate estuaries, including bays, inlets, river mouths, mudflats, wetlands, mangroves and salt marshes, this is a very important step in managing waterways and ensuring the future health of our beaches and bays.”

Meanwhile, the CRC for Catchment Hydrology and the CRC for Freshwater Ecology are encouraging changes in urban design and other measures to protect our beaches and bays from stormwater pollution, saving government millions of dollars in cleaning water before it hits the beaches.

These new ways of managing urban water include the use of constructed wetlands, shallow grass channels and linked gravel-filled, vegetated channels along wide nature strips (called bioretention systems).

“We have developed innovative practices collectively know as Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) that can be applied to an individual house or an entire suburb,” says CRC scientist Russell Mein.

“The WSUD practices can remove up to 80 percent of phosphorus, 60 percent of nitrogen and 90 percent of suspended solids from urban stormwater before it enters the main drainage system,” Professor Mein says.

../more
In a first for Australia, a fully integrated set of these principles have been incorporated into a $15 million residential development in Melbourne (the Urban Land Corporation’s Lynbrook Estate at Lyndhurst). Local councils, water and catchment managers and urban developers around Australia have also taken up the principles.

And still in the suburbs, CRC for Freshwater Ecology is approaching urban water as a valuable resource, to be managed locally and sustainably as part of the urban ecology.

“The past separate treatment of water supply, stormwater, and waste water is now giving way to an integrated approach where stormwater is seen as a valuable resource. Applying this integrated approach on a suburban block can conserve up to 60% of the water that would usually run off the block,” says CRC scientist Ian Lawrence.

“Introducing water features such as wetlands also makes great financial sense, with blocks fronting on to a pond, wetland or vegetated waterway often doubling in value,” Dr Lawrence says. “So it’s not surprising some property developers are keen to adopt these techniques.”

“It also provides the community with a variety of social, recreational and economic benefits, while bringing back plant and wildlife habitats for a better environment.”

Working closely with government and industry, this CRC is providing a range of guidelines and tools to improve the management of urban water.

For more information contact:
Professor Russell Mein, CRC for Catchment Hydrology, phone 03 9905 2704
Ian Lawrence, CRC for Freshwater Ecology, phone 02 6201 5371
Mr Tim Smith, Coastal CRC, phone 07 3875 5176

Search classifications

Administration