PASSIVE STORMWATER HARVESTING TIPS FOR YOUR HOME

Did you know the simple act of diverting stormwater runoff onto vegetated areas, instead of letting it run straight down the drain, can reduce the demand on our precious drinking water supplies and improve the health of our waterways?

Council is trialing initiatives to use passive stormwater harvesting to irrigate street trees throughout the region. 

Passive stormwater harvesting reduces the volume of runoff that enters the stormwater network, and uses it to water our garden areas. As a result the amount of pollutants, like litter, nutrients, oils and sediment, entering our waterways is reduced.

Here are some passive stormwater harvesting tips for your home:

• Use porous pavements, particularly if you have sandy soils, to maximise infiltration
• Make sure pathways and paved areas fall towards garden beds and turfed areas
• Install downpipe diverters to direct the first flush of rainwater onto garden beds. Make sure you spread the runoff evenly over the garden bed to reduce any potential damage to the garden from concentrated flow.

Please take care to ensure you do not redirect any runoff into neighbouring properties.

HAVE YOUR SAY

To help ensure we have an integrated stormwater network that is effective, sustainable and contributes to waterway health, Council has developed the Draft Stormwater Management Strategy and is now seeking community feedback.

Visit Council’s website to have your say by 5pm Friday 14 May.