MidCoast Council has won its category in the 2018 NSW Stormwater Award for Excellence for its work in improving water sensitive design controls for developments across the council area through meaningful collaboration with the community.
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Announced on Friday, August 17, the project won the category of "Excellence in Policy or Education" and will now progress to the national awards later this year.
"This project has delivered a standard of best practice for our region that is clear and concise for all users of our development control plan,” council's manager of natural systems, Gerard Tuckerman said.
“Consolidating quality controls for water sensitive design across the MidCoast Council region is expected to improve water quality in our rivers and estuaries.”
The guidelines assist developers to include measures for treating stormwater runoff from any proposed development.
For small scale residential developments, the measures typically include a rainwater tank and small rain garden to treat the overflow from the tank.
Rain gardens allow the stormwater to slowly sink through a sand filter, while special plants take up the nutrients. The clean water then either drains back to the stormwater system, or infiltrates into the ground.
With new development comes an increase in hard surfaces such as roads, roofs and driveways. When it rains, stormwater rushes off these surfaces carrying sediment and nutrients, litter, oil, detergents and other pollutants straight into our waterways - having an impact on water quality in lakes and waterways.
"This can lead to a significant impact on fishing, oyster and tourism industries, and for many of us the health and cleanliness of our rivers and lakes is also central to what we love about this region," Mr Tuckerman said.
The water sensitive guidelines ensure all Mid Coast region development will have minimal impact on water quality.
"Improvements were made through engaging closely with leading external stormwater planning consultants who are working in this area.
"The water sensitive guidelines are now a clear, concise and robust policy,” Mr Tuckerman said. “Combined with updated standard drawings, mapping, education materials and guidelines, customers have clear information to prepare development applications that address all of the requirements."
As a result of the new region-wide development control plan for water sensitive design, the assessment of development applications has become more efficient, with a reduction in customer enquiries and increased application of best practice water sensitive design, Mr Tuckerman said.