eWater

Turning Stormwater into a Community Asset 

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The Belconnen Oval Wetlands is an innovative project that demonstrates how science-driven planning and tools like eWater MUSIC™ can help restore and protect Canberra’s urban waterways.  

Belconnen Wetlands Credit: ACT Government

In April 2025 as part of its ACT Healthy Waterways project, the ACT Government opened a $4 million wetland designed to improve water quality in Lake Ginninderra – a dam located in Canberra’s north – by filtering stormwater from the Emu Bank catchment.  

At the heart of the planning and design was eWater MUSIC™, Australia’s leading stormwater modelling software. The ACT Government, working with managing contractor Construction Control and design consultant, Egis, used our stormwater tool to assess pollutant loads and simulate how stormwater would move through the catchment.  

eWater MUSIC™ supported the design of a stormwater treatment train incorporating a Gross Pollutant Trap (GPT), sediment pond, constructed wetland and sub-surface wetland to treat gross pollutants, coarse and fine sediment, suspended solids and bound nutrients.  

Belconnen Wetlands Credit: ABC Canberra

The model helped engineers design a system that could remove up to 30 per cent of nutrients and solids before they reach the lake – substantially reducing the risk of harmful algal blooms. 

This site is the first in the ACT to incorporate subsurface filtration alongside traditional ponds and wetlands, allowing water to flow underground through plant roots where nutrients and pollutants are naturally absorbed.  

Sub-surface wetlands are a newer stormwater treatment device, and as such are not currently included as a standard treatment node in MUSIC. Taking advantage of MUSIC’s flexibility, the design team adapted the bioretention MUSIC treatment node to reflect the features of the sub-surface wetland. Allowing them to estimate the removal of Total Suspended Solids, Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus.   

The ACT Government were able to visualise, predict, and refine how stormwater would interact with the landscape, enabling them to balance environmental performance with community needs. 

The Belconnen Oval Wetland is not just an engineering success- it also enhances liveability. Visitors will be able to enjoy the site’s walking paths, open space, and native vegetation, while contributing to a broader effort to conserve Canberra’s unique urban environment. 

The project forms part of the ACT Government’s efforts to improves water quality through infrastructure, community engagement, and science-based monitoring, while educating the community on how everyday actions, such as proper waste disposal and garden care that impact the health of local rivers, lakes, and wetlands. 

For more information about the Healthy Waterways Program, visit act.gov.au.  

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The Integrated River Modelling Uplift (IRMU) program represents a $66 million investment by the Australian Government to upgrade the Murray Darling Basin’s 24 river models and link them into an integrated framework, providing a clear picture of Basin water resources. 

The investment ensures these models remain fit to support future decisions while increasing collaboration and transparency across Basin governments by ensuring water managers have timely access to the same modelling data.

Over the past three years, the IRMU program has invested in improvements to the eWater Source™ modelling platform, particularly in modelling environmental flows, water trade and floodplain harvesting in the surface water models that underpin water resource planning in the Murray-Darling basin.

To ensure that eWater Source can support the needs of the Basin Plan review, the IRMU program has funded eWater to collaborate with the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) and the Basin States to improve the algorithms that underpin the modelling of environmental water, water trade and floodplain harvesting.

Environmental Water

As the volume of water held for the environment increases, so does the need to improve how it is represented in models that underpin water resource planning.  Environmental flow functionality, introduced to eWater Source in 2017, has been refined through IRMU-funded work by eWater, MDBA and Basin States to make the following enhancements to the software:

  • Better tracking of spells that deliver environmental benefits.
  • Improved methods for triggering orders for the environment.
  • Ability to cancel orders based on a set of rules.
  • Better tools for specifying the amount of water that is debited from environmental accounts.

MDBA and Basin States are currently configuring these enhancements in the models of the southern-connected Murray-Darling Basin.

Murray Darling Basin Boundary Map. Credit: Geoscience Australia and MBDA

Water Trade

Water users have the flexibility to meet their water needs by buying or selling water access entitlements and allocations. The Bureau of Meteorology estimates that the Australian water market has an annual turnover of between $1-7 million dollars[1], with most trades occurring in the Murray-Darling Basin.

The Commonwealth and Basin State governments have rules to govern water trade. Modellers need to include these rules in the hydrological models that support water resource planning.

For the southern-connected Murray-Darling Basin, the MDBA had developed eWater Source plugins to represent the rules around water trade in their water planning models.  As part of the IRMU project, eWater has enhanced and moved the trade functionality from the MDBA plugin to core code. This makes the trade functionality available to all Source users and will aid in the consistent and transparent representation of trade across the southern-connected MDB.

Floodplain Harvesting (NSW)[2]

Floodplain harvesting is the practice of capturing water that flows across the floodplain during flood events. Water users then store this water for irrigation. The development of the floodplain harvesting policy in NSW has required improved representation of floodplain harvesting in the models that support water resource planning in Northern Basin. IRMU funding has enabled eWater to work with modellers from NSW to improve the functionality available in Source for representing floodplain harvesting.

Highlights

With funding from IRMU, eWater has delivered significant enhancements to the Source platform.

Over three years, this long-term investment has enabled improvements to key components of the platform, such as environmental flows, water trade, and floodplain harvesting, which was developed in close collaboration with the MDBA and Basin States.

These enhancements give Source modellers better tools to represent complex water processes and deliver more accurate insights to inform planning and policy decisions.

With the core capital investment now complete, the program enters a six-year sustainment phase. eWater will continue to enhance Source while supporting IRMU’s broader goals: building hydrological skills, strengthening modeller collaboration, and increasing transparency in water modelling and decision-making.

[1] Water market information: Water Information: Bureau of Meteorology

[2] Floodplain harvesting | NSW Dept of Natural Resources Access Regulator

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Partnering for Sustainable Water Management

In response to growing water security challenges in the Krishna River basin, the Government of Karnataka, through the Advanced Centre for Integrated Water Resources Management (ACIWRM), partnered with eWater Group to strengthen technical capacity in integrated water resources management.

The initiative is part of the Karnataka Integrated and Sustainable Water Resource Management Investment Program (KISWRMIP), funded by the Asian Development Bank, and is designed to enhance evidence-based planning and decision-making across the state.

Strategic Use of Australian Water Modelling Expertise

The Krishna River is a vital lifeline for millions across four Indian states, supporting agriculture, livelihoods, and regional water supply. Having previously adopted eWater Source™, Australia’s National Hydrological Modelling Platform, ACIWRM developed comprehensive river basin models to support the sustainable management of the basin.

Krishna River (Credit: Wikipedia & Open Street Map)

eWater Source™ was selected for its proven ability to integrate both catchment and river system processes, evaluate development and climate scenarios, and support transparent, data-driven water allocation.

Building Institutional Capacity

eWater designed and delivered a broad capacity-building program that included foundational and advanced training in eWater Source and ongoing technical support to ACIWRM as they built Source models for six sub-basins of the Krishna River.

In August 2024, eWater delivered an intensive in-country training program for over 30 hydrologists, civil engineers, field managers and researchers from the Karnataka Water Resources Department. Led by Principal Hydrologist, Dr. Mukta Sapkota, and Senior Hydrologist, Dr. Sudeep Nair, this program built foundational modelling skills and enabled participants to commence the model building process.

This was followed by a period of remote support, providing advice on the conceptualisation and model building work. A second in-country training program was delivered in October, exploring more advanced components of Source. Again, remote support was provided through to the completion of the model build process in December. 

This comprehensive program equipped ACIWRM with the critical skills and knowledge of eWater Source to achieve their program objectives and continue skill transfer within the department.

Policy and Institutional Outcomes

“River Basin Modelling using Source had provided for incorporating all the water assets and rules of operation for water management into the model and provides a very comprehensive overview of the basin for the field engineers to understand the basin better and think scientifically for ensuring good water management,” Mr. Rajesh, Chief Engineer & Registrar, ACIWRM said.

Mr Rajesh emphasised the need for advance tools, such as, Source of eWater, for addressing the emerging new water challenges and comprehensively managing the water resources of the basin.

The integration of Source™ into Karnataka’s water planning processes is enabling:

  • Development of basin-scale water models for scenario testing and operational planning
  • Enhanced institutional capacity at both the state and zonal levels
  • Evidence-based input into River Basin Plans and investment decisions
  • Increased resilience to climate and development pressures

Looking Ahead

This collaboration sets a precedent for cross-border knowledge exchange in water governance. It strengthens Karnataka’s ability to plan, allocate and manage water resources more equitably and sustainably.

eWater Group remains committed to supporting ACIWRM in achieving long-term water security for the people of Karnataka, through science, technology, and partnership.

Source:
Integrated Water Management Solutions in the Krishna River – eWater
Improving integrated water resource management in Karnataka, India – eWater

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eWater Group today announces interim changes to the eWater Limited Board and a change to the Group Executive Leadership Team.

eWater Limited Board

Mr Greg Claydon PSM, Chair of the eWater Limited Board, will be taking a leave of absence for an indefinite period effective 17 September 2025 for personal reasons. We thank Greg for his strong and consistent leadership and wish him all the best during this time. We look forward to his return to Board duties in due course.

Mr Murray Rankin was elected unanimously as Interim Chair of the Board (and Deputy Chair) at its meeting on 17 September and will act as Chair in Greg’s absence. Mr Rankin has been an Independent Director of eWater for 13 years, and brings extensive commercial and technology knowledge, experience, strategic skills and a deep commitment to eWater’s mission.

“Mr Rankin’s appointment reflects the Board’s confidence in his ability to provide steady leadership and continuity during this important period in eWater’s development,” said Group Chief Executive Officer Michael Wilson.

“His long-standing contribution to the Board and to the Australian water sector will be invaluable as we continue our work on improving water governance and evidence-based decision-making in the interests of governments, industry, the research community and the Australian people.”

Group Executive Leadership Team

Mr Stephen Cory GAICD, eWater’s Chief Operating Officer, will be departing eWater on 10 October 2025.

During his eight and a half years with the organisation, Mr Cory has:

  • Overseen the establishment of robust financial and HR management systems.
  • Enhanced client and Board reporting processes that have been highly commended.
  • Streamlined annual independent audit and quality accreditation processes, passing the highest standards and significantly reducing administrative burdens.

“Stephen’s contribution has been outstanding and enduring,” Mr Wilson said. “He has played a central role in strengthening eWater’s operations and leaves the organisation in a position of strength. We thank him for his leadership, professionalism, expertise and unwavering commitment to our mission, and wish him the very best in the next chapter of his career.”

We will commence the process of appointing a new Group COO shortly.

Looking Forward

“With the strong support of our Board, the Executive Leadership Team, and our dedicated staff, eWater remains firmly focused on delivering for our owners, stakeholders, and the Australian community,” Mr Wilson said.

“These changes mark a natural evolution in our governance and leadership, and we are well positioned to continue advancing our priorities with confidence.”

We thank our partners for their ongoing trust and support.

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Pilot project at Universiti Sains Malaysia shows how calibrating eWater MUSIC™ unlocks stormwater performance predictions in tropical climates.

eWater Group supports a community of practice approach where current and future generations of water experts, students and professionals can come together to explore how our tools and thinking can be challenged to help policymakers, governments and private sector address the challenges facing our communities now and into the future.

We welcomed an innovative study conducted at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Penang, Malaysia, that explored how eWater’s MUSIC software, widely used across Australia for stormwater modelling, can be a highly effective in tropical urban environments, when locally calibrated.

With urbanisation accelerating across Southeast Asia, cities face mounting challenges from polluted stormwater runoff. The Malaysian research team – Khee Ling Wong, Hui Weng Goh, Chun Kiat Chang, Siti Fairuz Juiani, and Nor Azazi Zakaria – set out to test MUSIC’s effectiveness in simulating the performance of bioretention systems, a key green infrastructure solution that filters runoff using vegetation and engineered soils.

The study focused on a pilot bioretention site on USM’s engineering campus, exposed to real tropical conditions: intense rainfall, high temperatures, and mixed urban pollutants. Using real runoff collected from nearby urban areas, the team measured flow and pollutant removal over multiple weeks (see image below).

Initial simulations using MUSIC’s default settings underestimated pollutant loads and overestimated treatment performance. But after a two-stage calibration process, adjusting impervious area assumptions and first-order decay model parameters, the model aligned closely with real-world results.

P1(no vegetation), P2 (single species) and p3 (multiple species)

This study reinforces eWater MUSIC’s flexibility.

It shows that with the right data; we can use MUSIC to reliably model bioretention systems in Malaysia and other tropical regions.

Among the key findings:

  • Calibrated MUSIC simulations matched observed reductions in total suspended solids (TSS), nitrogen (TN), and phosphorus (TP) with high accuracy.
  • The model’s performance ratings were ‘very good’ for TSS and TN, and ‘good’ for TP.
  • Flow reduction estimates were also reasonable, though evapotranspiration from tropical vegetation remains a modelling limitation.

Plan View & Cross Section of USM Bioretention Pilot Site

The research supports MUSIC’s broader international relevance, particularly in regions where stormwater regulations are evolving. The findings also inform local design standards like Malaysia’s Urban Stormwater Management Manual (MSMA).

The study confirms that when calibrated to reflect local runoff characteristics and treatment conditions, eWater MUSIC can reliably model bioretention performance in tropical climate, demonstrating that it can be used in a wide range of contexts and environmental settings, Australian and international.

The study, funded by Malaysia’s Ministry of Higher Education, highlights the importance of pairing field research with data-driven modelling to design resilient, sustainable urban drainage systems.

We thank the Universiti Sains Malaysia for taking the opportunity to explore the possibilities for eWater MUSIC™ for Australia and internationally.

This study was funded and supported by the Government of Malaysia through the Higher Institution Centre of Excellence Program (HICoE) (Grant no. A305-LR-AKH001-0004403901-0000) for the niche area of sustainable stormwater management.

Learn More:

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How can Australian cities combat worsening stormwater issues using nature-based infrastructure? How can policy and water experts, together with governments, prepare our cities to be resilient in the future?  

Macquarie University Civil Engineering Graduate, Sam Cook, explores these issues in his thesis titled Analysis of Water Sensitive Urban Design: The Addition of Larger Scale Alternatives and Their Effects on Kerbside WSUD.

Mr Cook compared traditional concrete-heavy stormwater systems with environmentally friendly solutions like green roofs, rain gardens, wetlands, and permeable pavements.

The verdict? Nature wins – but only when its system work together.

Using eWater MUSICX™, Australia’s leading stormwater modelling tool developed by eWater Group, Mr Cook simulated stormwater flow and pollutant removal across a fictional catchment area based on Blacktown City Council data. He tested a variety of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) configurations, from standalone systems to complex treatment trains, sequences of green technologies working in tandem.

The Pollution Problem

Urbanisation has long been linked with stormwater challenges. Roads, roofs, and other hard surfaces generate runoff laced with sediment, litter, and chemical pollutants. Traditional kerbside systems, such as pipes, gutters, and drains, move water fast but do nothing to treat it.

His research found that traditional systems, such as kerbside stormwater drains, removed zero per cent of common pollutants like nitrogen, phosphorus, and gross solids.

In contrast, the best-performing WSUD combination, which included a green roof, bioretention basin, swale, and constructed wetland, removed:

  • 98.88% of Total Suspended Solids
  • 95.68% of Total Phosphorus
  • 83.2% of Total Nitrogen
  • 100% of Gross Pollutants

Want to learn more about Macquarie University’s critical work in this space? Reach out to Dr. Bandita Mainali, Lecturer, Macquarie University’s School of Engineering.

Practical Implications for Australian Cities

The thesis comes at a critical time, with many local governments under pressure to build resilient and climate-smart infrastructure. Mr Cook’s work offers a blueprint but also a caution.

Mr Cook argued in his thesis that a continued reliance on dated kerbside systems could see an increase flash flooding, more polluted waterways, and higher maintenance costs. The way forward, he noted, was that green infrastructure isn’t just better for the environment. It’s better for the bottom line.


Supporting the next generation of water managers

eWater is also proud to work with 15 Australian universities to teach the suite of eWater MUSIC tools delivered by our high calibre of hydrologists and software developers.

Through this partnership, we offer students free access to MUSIC for their research, including Mr Cook. We believe the best way to address future issues is to provide the next generation of urban planners, water engineers and urban development professionals with the skills to sustainable manage our precious waterways.

We thank Macquarie University for partnering with eWater Group for teaching the next generation of urban planners, water engineers and urban development professionals. This partnership equips them with the right skills, knowledge and insights to manage our waterways more sustainably.

What’s Next? Key takeaways?

We thank Mr Cook for his research, in which he urges future planners to prioritise combined WSUD approaches through tools like eWater MUSICX™ to simulate and evaluate solutions and called for the development of standardised performance benchmarks for green infrastructure.

It is this future thinking that encourages us at eWater Group to know that our local environment, from rural and regional to our major cities, is in the best capable hands.

As Australia faces growing urban density and climate unpredictability, this thesis is a timely reminder that working with nature, not against it, may be the best way forward.

Want to learn more about Macquarie University’s critical work in this space? Reach out to Dr. Bandita Mainali, Lecturer, Macquarie University’s School of Engineering.

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eWater Group’s Stephen Cory, Chief Operating Officer, has been named COO of the Year 2025: Water Resource Strategy & Sustainability in CEO Monthly’s first global COO excellence awards.

The following editorial was published in CEO Monthly July 2025 edition

A venture jointly owned by all Australian governments, eWater Group supports sustainable, climate-focused water management through the provision of stewardship, development, enhancement, research, access, and transparency in this space. The company not only works within all of Australia’s states and territories, but its presence can be felt internationally, particularly in Asia and the Pacific.

Stephen Cory is the COO of this huge operation, and he leverages more than 25 years in finance, quality assurance, and management systems to lead valiantly from the front. On the back of his recognition in this programme, we caught up with Stephen for more.

Founded in 2005, eWater Group is today relied upon to deliver trusted, creative, and science-led tools and expertise to more than meet the water management needs of Australia and other countries in this part of the world. The team here work tirelessly to support, facilitate, and encourage evidence-based decision making when it comes to water resources, seen through their ability to develop, manage, and deploy tools and services that enhance responsible water management, underpinning them all with accurate data and practical advice.

Duty-bound to deliver these offerings in the best interests of its owner governments, stakeholders, and clients – as well as on behalf of the Australian people that have invested in its capacity to deliver – eWater Group has evolved considerably over the past two decades, to the point where international stakeholders are now as reliant on its products, tools, and expertise as those within its home country. These insights assist stakeholders with everything from reducing poverty to pursuing integrated water resources management.

“There is no other organisation in Australia that can ensure the safe custody and wise, ongoing development of these critical national assets.”

eWater Group manages two businesses – eWater Solutions, its software and hydrology business responsible for supporting the application of its tools for water modelling both at home and abroad, and the Australian Water Partnership, which is a key part of Australia’s support for climate resilient sustainable water resource management in South Asia, South-East Asia and the Pacific.

 

Until January 2024, Mekong Water Solutions was the third business operated by the company, with this venture delivered in partnership with the Australian Government to see a practical approach taken to climate-sensitive water resources management in Cambodia. MWS successfully met program outcomes and delivered services using Australian and local water expertise in Cambodia until the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s decision to discontinue funding beyond January 2024.

eWater Group is continuing to go from strength to strength, and a great many of its successes over the past eight years can be attributed to COO Stephen Cory. Backed by more than a quarter century of experience in a career spanning everything from banking to work in the not-for-profit sector, Stephen has carved out a well-deserved reputation for himself as a strategic and astute senior executive.

Across his daily responsibilities as eWater Group’s COO, Stephen oversees and manages the operations and strategies of the company, ensuring its strategic goals are met. As a part of this, he has even optimised the internal process of the company to the internationally recognised ISO:9001 standard, all whilst improving efficiency, driving growth, and keeping alignment with the company’s vision of making water management better.

Since joining eWater Group in early 2017, Stephen has achieved a number of highly impressive feats, such as increasing growth in retained earnings by 250% as a result of careful financial management across the company. In addition to this he has also successfully bid for an open tender for the third phase of the Australian Water Partnership.

Although these figures are notable, Stephen told us: “I have always taken the view of telling the story behind the numbers.” This not only relates to his unique ability to explain complex financial structures to those not in the know, but it is also indictive of a COO that is about much more than figures on a piece of paper. For example, Stephen prides himself on a mantra of continuous improvement, allowing him to improve both his own performance and that of the wider company through the likes of audits and due diligence reviews.

This ability to keep pace with an ever-changing environment is proving increasingly important in a landscape of growing complexity and new challenges, and significant discussions have been sparked as a result of these developments. Diving deeper into this, Stephen explained: “At eWater Group, we are part of this conversation, developing innovative, science-based solutions to support effective water management. By leveraging advanced scientific methods, we continuously refine our approaches to address water modelling challenges.”

“Transparency plays a key part in addressing these challenges. We operate as a model ethical corporate entity, holding our core values and commitments to sound governance. These values encapsulate the delivery of our functions with integrity, building value and opportunities for our stakeholders whilst also sustaining and enriching our stakeholders with whom we work and the communities we serve and support.”

 

Exploring these core values in more detail, eWater’s values comprise integrity, accountability, development, and growth. This can be seen across what both his greatest challenge and his proudest achievement is – helping developing countries make considerable strides in their climate-sensitive water resources management.

Nations close to Australia are beginning to tackle challenges relating to their long-term water security as a result of the variable, unforgiving climate, and Australia is well placed to be able to help its neighbours as a result of its knowledge and proficiency in capacity building. Mekong Water Solutions was a brilliant example of this, with the business employing 30 local professionals to develop a strategy, structure, and implementation plan to deliver water resource projects in the Mekong.

In the more than two years it was in operation, this initiative secured USD$145m in funding from the World Bank, built strong relationships with key ministries in Cambodia (such as the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries), and became acclaimed amongst stakeholders on the back of its ability to provide practical solutions to the most pressing water management issues.

With the experiences taken from this project still fresh in his mind, Stephen shared with us that his future ambitions for eWater Group are based around maturing and strategically growing both the company and its services. A newly created international committee of the board will help oversee these expansion efforts, allowing the company to reach as many people and communities as it can across Indo-Pacific countries.

Explaining this further, Stephen told us: “We want to build on this experience and our unique position as a trusted advisor to governments relating to water management, expanding our operations into these areas of opportunity.”

 

Outside of this, eWater Group remains committed to the pursuit of sustainable and climate-resilient management of water in Australia and beyond through partnerships and the provision of trusted and innovative expertise and tools.

We develop and deliver Australia’s National Hydrological Modelling Platform, eWater Source, on behalf of all Australian governments; and deliver international water development programs on behalf of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Australian Water Partnership. eWater Source is, at its core, an incredibly powerful national asset, one developed by a high calibre of technical Australian expertise and knowledge. The capabilities of this platform have been recognised nationally, resulting in its deployment to model river basins internationally.

Finally, Stephen shared more details on the previously mentioned third phase of the Australian Water Partnership: “We signed the new contract with DFAT in May 2024 and commenced Phase 3 immediately, concurrent with the transition and success of Phase 2 activities. It is expected that Phase 3 will run until June 2029, building on the success of previous phases, but focusing particularly on climate resilience in water management in developing countries across Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific.”

Ultimately, as it works towards these initiatives, it is worth reinforcing the great work that eWater Group does in enabling the sustainable, climate-resilient management of water in Australia and internationally.

This is made possible only by its people, including award-winning COO Stephen Cory, who are responsible for the company’s strategic direction as “trusted adviser” – instilling confidence in partners and stakeholders alike from all over the world.

Want to know more? eWater Source, eWater MUSIC, and the eWater Group Executive Leadership.

Want to learn more about CEO Monthly and its first Global COO Excellence Awards? Read their press release.

 

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Transforming Stormwater Management: eWater MUSIC Shaping Sustainable Futures

Original article was published in Future Water Magazine 2025 Edition (Edition 11, May 2025)

Supporting smarter, more sustainable urban planning is critical to improving water quality across Australia.

Rapid population growth and urban expansion are straining infrastructure, while climate change and the extreme weather events make traditional stormwater management approaches less effective. Balancing development, sustainability, and environmental protection is essential.

Urbanisation is transforming landscapes, increasing impervious surfaces, disrupting natural hydrological cycles, and introducing pollutants into waterways. These changes demand innovative stormwater management solutions.

Australian councils face the challenge of planning stormwater systems, implementing sustainable stormwater strategies, and ensuring environmental compliance even before development commences. 

To support councils, engineering firms, and stormwater management professionals in predicting flow and protecting waterways – they use eWater MUSIC™.

A leading software tool for stormwater quality modelling, MUSIC is integral to the development approval process. Designed to assess Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) measures, it simulates treatment options, such as rain gardens, wetlands, and biofiltration systems, effectively reducing pollutants like sediments, phosphorus, and nitrogen from urban runoff.

By modelling catchment runoff at scales ranging from individual properties to large urban areas, MUSIC provides valuable insights into how different WSUD measures can improve stormwater quality and meet environmental goals.

Grounded in decades of Australian research, the tool’s strength lies in its ability to evaluate urbanisation’s impact on stormwater quality and identify the most effective treatment strategies. It helps councils determine the optimal combination of WSUD measures to reduce contaminant loads, ensure regulatory compliance, and protect waterways.

To further support councils, MUSIC offers MUSIC-link, a tool that streamlines the approvals process and make it easier for both councils and those submitting development applications to ensure compliance with local WSUD design guidelines, including water-quality targets.

With a proven track record, MUSIC is scientifically rigorous and yet user-friendly, making it essential tool for urban planners, engineers, and environmental consultants designing and implementing sustainable stormwater management practices.

Beyond providing tools and licenses, eWater Group – owner of eWater MUSIC and custodian of eWater Source™, Australian’s National Hydrological Modelling Platform – offers training, technical support, and software development to extensive user community.

While addressing current challenges remains a top priority, we also collaborate with more than 12 of Australia’s top universities to teach MUSIC to equip future urban planners, water engineers and urban development professionals with skills to manage waterways sustainably.

eWater Group is committed to meeting our customer needs and continuously enhance eWater MUSIC’s capabilities, ensuring it remains Australia’s leading stormwater quality modelling tool.

Learn more about eWater MUSIC: eWater MUSIC – eWater
Future Water Magazine 2025 Edition: Future Water 2025

From L to R: eWater Software team led by Navan Tirupathi, Chief Technology Officer, and eWater Hydrology led by Dr Paradis Someth, Head of Hydrology

 

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