Client: Various Developers
Project Summary:
Afflux has prepared numerous Integrated Water Management Plans for development parcels. The key difference to these plans is the expectation of Council to include an alternative water supply (now that Western Water has discontinued the roll out of the recycled water system). They have also added the requirement to passively water all street trees.
Based on the Western Water Integrated Water Management Developer Guidance as shown in the image insert, the expectation was clear but the mechanism to achieve the outcomes were challengeable.
Preliminary discussion with Council triggered a workshop with multiple consultants to explore the purpose and function of passive irrigation for their municipality.
Passive irrigation of street trees is but long overdue but with the impending growth in Melton, they will rapidly own multiple street trees and the design needs to function in the longer term.
Afflux challenged Melbourne Water on the payment of water quality offsets inline with the intention of the Developer Services Scheme (DSS) on behalf of her clients. The long term impact of these initiatives on the financial arrangement of the DSS will need further consideration to ensure system is fair and meets the ultimate objectives of protecting the downstream environment.
Key Features and Innovations:
- Challenging the “norm”
- Using stormwater at source
- Drainage Scheme Evolution