What is WSUD

Why WSUD?

Water sensitive urban design (WSUD) provides a range of benefits:

Healthy waterways
Reduced flood risks
Better amenity
Efficient use of resources

WSUD is an approach to planning and urban design that recognises the important role of water and takes it into account within the planning process. When doing WSUD we will:

Protect waterways and waterbodies - Stormwater contains pollutants like sediment that smothers habitat, nutrients that can lead to algal growth and heavy metals, hydrocarbons and other toxins that can kill fish and other aquatic life

Make way for the river - Make sure waterways have adequate floodplains to contain flood flows and that water is stored and managed within the catchment where there is opportunity

Maintain a hydrologic balance - Urban development removes plants from the landscape and covers soil with buildings and roads, preventing natural evaporation and transpiration of water and infiltration to groundwater. This greatly increases rapid and damaging surface runoff into waterways, causing downstream flooding and eroding stream banks while reducing natural baseflows. WSUD increases evapotranspiration and infiltration to reduce these effects

Reuse stormwater - Every year we discharge enough excess stormwater into our waterways to meet our cities water needs. Instead of taking this water from other waterways or wasting energy with desalination and pumping we can treat and use the water flowing down our streets and drains.

WSUD and PLANNING

WSUD has been mandatory for all new residential subdivisions in Victoria under Clause 56.07 of the Victorian Planning Provisions since 2006. Some Councils also have requirements for other types of developments such as the City of Moonee Valley and City of Port Phillip.

The requirement to undertake a WSUD approach and to meet standard requirements is being extended to most forms of subdivision and development through Amendment VC154 to update the Victorian Planning Provisions.

If you are sub-dividing or developing it is likely you will need to meet these requirements.

New and amended planning provisions have been introduced, including Clause 53.18 – Stormwater management in urban development to extent the existing requirements to:

All commercial and industrial subdivisions and developments
All public use developments
All residential multi-dwelling developments

Further details can be found here: Amendment VC154

These requirements include objectives for reducing stormwater pollutants as follows:

80% reduction for total suspended solids
45% reduction for total phosphorus
45% reduction for total nitrogen
70% reduction for gross pollutants (litter)

Adopting WSUD creates a better environment for us all by ensuring that stormwater is planned for and well managed in new developments.