Ku-ring-gai Water Sensitive City · Table 1: Cities as Water Supply Catchments Implementation...

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1 Ku-ring-gai Water Sensitive City Strategic Directions Paper This strategic directions paper provides the background to develop a Strategy for a Water Sensitive Ku-ring-gai. This paper outlines Council’s vision for a Water Sensitive Ku-ring-gai, with healthy waterways, resilient neighbourhoods, greener public spaces and water conscious communities.

Transcript of Ku-ring-gai Water Sensitive City · Table 1: Cities as Water Supply Catchments Implementation...

Page 1: Ku-ring-gai Water Sensitive City · Table 1: Cities as Water Supply Catchments Implementation Activities Objective Decrease Council and the community’s potable water use by diversifying

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Ku-ring-gai Water Sensitive City Strategic Directions Paper This strategic directions paper provides the background to develop a Strategy for a Water Sensitive Ku-ring-gai. This paper outlines Council’s vision for a Water Sensitive Ku-ring-gai, with healthy waterways, resilient neighbourhoods, greener public spaces and water conscious communities.

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Contents

Contents .................................................................................................................................................. 2

Vision for a water sensitive Ku-ring-gai .................................................................................................. 3

Purpose and objectives ........................................................................................................................... 3

What is the Council’s role in water management? ................................................................................. 3

Ku-ring-gai’s water cycle ......................................................................................................................... 4

Ku-ring-gai’s water sensitive journey to date ......................................................................................... 5

Our strategy for the future ..................................................................................................................... 6

PILLAR 1 - Cities as Water Supply Catchments ................................................................................... 6

Table 1: Cities as Water Supply Catchments Implementation Activities ........................................ 7

PILLAR 2 - Cities Providing Ecosystem Services................................................................................. 11

Table 2: Cities Providing Ecosystem Services Implementation Activities ..................................... 12

PILLAR 3 - Cities Comprising Water Sensitive Communities ............................................................. 17

Table 3: Cities Compromising Water Sensitive Communities Implementation Activities ............ 18

Implementing this strategy ................................................................................................................... 22

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Vision for a water sensitive Ku-ring-gai Positioned at the top of several catchments, Ku-ring-gai’s waterways will be clean, ecologically rich, and attractive recreational corridors that define the character of Ku-ring-gai. Residents, workers and visitors will appreciate water as a valued resource and continue to enjoy the green leafy neighbourhoods and high quality open spaces that are supported by sustainable water sources. Ku-ring-gai will have good water security and be resilient to drought and flood. Our homes and other buildings will demonstrate good practice in water management and will benefit from well-designed streets and green corridors where flood waters are conveyed safely. In partnership with government, community and relevant authorities, Council will actively seek opportunities to deliver social, environmental, and economic benefit through continual improvement of the local water cycle using an integrated approach. Achieving this vision and objectives will require a range of changes to be made to our neighbourhoods, our infrastructure and our way of doing things. To do so, Council will need support from partners that influence different aspects of water management and from our local communities. This Water Sensitive City Strategy Directions Paper will help Council and the community to achieve its vision for Ku-ring-gai in the future. It will be implemented over 5 years and its recommended actions will be integrated into Council departments’ annual service delivery plans. A cross-Council Water Sensitive City Working Group will take carriage of many of the actions and report progress annually to Council and the community. Purpose and objectives This Water Sensitive City Strategic Directions Paper supports Council’s Water Sensitive City Policy by providing timeframes for implementation of activities defined in the WSC Policy, identify resourcing requirements and providing details for ongoing monitoring and evaluation of their implementation. The Water Sensitive City Strategy responds to the objectives of the Water Sensitive City Policy, namely:

1. Protect, conserve and improve the condition of our waterways and riparian corridors to increase native biodiversity.

2. Manage the quantity, frequency and quality of stormwater runoff to improve ecological stream health.

3. Decrease Council and the community’s potable water use by diversifying water sources at different scales in fit-for-purpose applications and increasing water efficiency.

4. Deliver programs that support and enable a continued shift in the community to more water sensitive practices.

5. Integrate water infrastructure within the urban landscape to enhance the liveability of Ku-ring-gai, by incorporating stormwater treatment, flood protection, heat mitigation, ecological health and landscape amenity.

What is the Council’s role in water management? Ku-ring-gai Council is responsible for local stormwater drains that collect rainwater from our roads and paved areas. We are gradually introducing new techniques to manage stormwater

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by filtering it before it reaches local waterways and providing storage areas that will help to reduce the risk of flooding. We also operate a range of facilities for the community and local businesses, and we are dedicated to using water responsibly in our buildings. We manage a range of parks, gardens and recreation grounds, and we need to source the appropriate types and amounts of water to keep these areas green while reducing demand on precious potable water resources. The large areas of paving and roofs in urban areas mean that rainwater rushes into our drains then into our creeks in large quantities, and picks up pollution along the way. Our creeks are suffering as a result. Heavy rainfall events also cause problems with local flooding, and the risk of damage is increasing as Ku-ring-gai grows and has more homes and buildings. With a changing climate and growing population, Ku-ring-gai Council believes it is important to improve the way we manage water now so that current and future generations can benefit from secure water supplies, healthy environments and safe and beautiful places to live. We are committed to continuing to work closely with our partners to look for broader opportunities to improve water systems in Ku-ring-gai, including Sydney Water who manage mains water supply and wastewater as well as the office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) and Department of Primary Industries Water (DPI water) who help to look after our waterways and manage regional flood risk. Ku-ring-gai’s water cycle A water balance is a stocktake of the amounts and types of water entering and exiting the LGA. Several types of water enter Ku-ring-gai, including the ‘mains’ potable water supply which is piped in from the central Sydney supply reservoirs, and the rain that falls on Ku-ring-gai each year. There are two major types of water that then exit the LGA; wastewater which is collected in the sewerage system and stormwater which flows to through a series of local creeks. Ku-ring-gai is a predominantly residential LGA, and also is home to several major roadways, commercial centres and light industrial areas. Due to the proportion of developed land, there are significant quantities of stormwater being transferred to local waterways. Currently, a small portion of local sources of water (rainwater, stormwater and recycled water) are reused locally.

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This diagram shows the water balance for Ku-ring-gai in 2008 (Note: to be updated for 2016). Ku-ring-gai’s water sensitive journey to date Our water systems have evolved over time, allowing cities to benefit from a high quality water supply and efficient drainage of rainwater and wastewater. The development of these systems has been essential to the protection of our health and to support a modern way of life. However, our understanding of water issues and the technology and techniques we have to help us are evolving, and we are still on a journey to improve water management in Ku-ring-gai.

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The focuses of water management in this area have been fairly typical for their time. An initial focus on securing water supply allowed settlement to then occur in area and populations grew. In response to the increasing populations, sewerage systems were introduced to protect public health, and drainage systems were included to prevent flooding. In the last 50 years, the impact of development in the area has been seen in the degradation of local creeks, with greater levels of erosion and pollution being seen. More recent focuses have been on improving waterway health and stormwater management to address this. Recently, we have also seen a focus on water use efficiency during drought. Ku-ring-gai has also experienced several serious flood events in recent years as the risk and probability of flooding has increased with urban development and the effects of climate change. Our strategy for the future A Water Sensitive City is structured around the following three (3) pillars which forms the delivery of this Strategic Directions Paper. PILLAR 1 - Cities as Water Supply Catchments This pillar recognises that all available water resources are considered valuable supply sources. This includes waste water, rainwater, stormwater and ground water, and infrastructure systems integrate both centralised and decentralised technologies to utilise these resources at different scales in fit-for-purpose applications. This pillar:

• Supports responsible use by Council, residents and businesses • Progresses fit for purpose water sources • Delivers reduced stormwater pollution • Delivers reduced wastewater pollution

Choosing the right water source for the right use makes a big difference to water management. In Ku-ring-gai, we have a range of local water sources available that are suitable for uses that don’t require drinking water standards, including irrigation and toilet flushing. By using local water sources like rainwater, stormwater or recycled water for these uses, we will significantly reduce pressure on pristine water sources.

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Table 1: Cities as Water Supply Catchments Implementation Activities

Objective

Decrease Council and the community’s potable water use by diversifying water sources at different scales in fit-for-purpose applications . Manage the quantity, frequency and quality of stormwater runoff to improve ecological stream health .

Activity Area/ Programs Actions Target Funding sour ce Responsibility

Stormwater Harvesting and Re-use Program

Stormwater Harvesting Program: 1. Identify and prioritise individual

water management projects (eg. water recycling, stormwater harvesting). • Evaluate opportunities to

harvest rainwater or stormwater for irrigation of ovals and green spaces.

• Use Priority Catchment Program to inform decision-making

• Reduce run-off, retain and re-use water in Council buildings, and the public realm.

• Identify and implement strategic sewer mining projects with forward capital works and landscape master plans.

2. Development and implementation of management plans for each water recycling and reuse site (site functionality, catchment characteristics, risks, operation and maintenance). • Apply the latest water re-use

Improve the efficiency of water use in Ku-ring-gai. On average one stormwater harvesting/re-use project completed per year Increase Council’s non potable water capacity per year. Development of 1 stormwater harvesting/re-use management plan.

Environmental Levy, Grants and other capital funding. Operational funding (staff time).

Strategy Operations

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guidelines in the planning and ongoing management of recycling and re-use systems.

• Regular auditing of water recycling and reuse systems.

3. Ensure staff and community members are able to make informed decisions regarding recycling, reuse and treatment infrastructure, including the safety considerations for these systems e.g. signage, educating sporting clubs and staff training.

Water Savings Program

Evaluate improvement measures for key Council-owned facilities with a high water use, including open spaces and aquatic centres. Water Savings Program: 1. Shift to sustainable alternative water

supplies that reduce reliance on traditional supplies.

2. Implement a prioritised retrofit program of water efficiency measures in Council buildings

3. Opportunistically retrofit existing services (plumbing, drainage, irrigation and water services) as they are upgraded.

4. Sample audit of Council facilities to identify opportunities to reduce potable water consumption by retrofitting water efficient fittings, such as 4 star toilets, 5 star taps (and flow restrictors) and 3 star

Reduction in potable water usage.

Environmental Levy Grants Capital funding Operational funding (staff time).

Strategy Operations

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showerheads. 5. Undertake regular water audit of the

Aquatic Centre. - The Aquatic Centre account for approximately 28% of Council’s mains water consumption. • Continue investigations to re-

use pool waste water. 6. Investigate the feasibility of

implementing a real-time water use monitoring system across Council’s highest water using facilities.

7. Implement review of water metering accounts throughout the LGA to establish trends and address anomalies and unexpected data results.

8. Embed the responsibility of water use with all asset owners.

9. Facilitate the implementation of water saving actions across Council.

10. Facilitate community water tank uptake.

Drainage Maintenance Program

1. Implement: • Drainage Works and

Maintenance Policy and Procedures (prioritise problem areas);

• Stormwater Drainage Asset Management Plan 2014

• Kerbs And Gutters Asset Management Plan

2. Undertake gross pollutant trap (GPT) maintenance and street

Complete drainage program on time and on budget. Tonnes/year Rubbish diverted from waterways

Stormwater Management Charge Operational budget

Operations Strategy

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sweeping activities 3. Continually improve maintenance

evaluation and reporting.

Flood Risk Management Program

1. Continue to undertake and implement flood studies and plans.

2. Flood mapping made available on GIS.

3. Incorporate flood information into LEP and DCP provisions and planning certificates where appropriate.

4. Prioritise and deliver flood mitigation works to reduce risk of damage to properties and key assets in the area.

Complete floodplain risk studies and plans in consultation with Floodplain Risk Management Committee and investigate priority actions.

Stormwater Management Charge Operational budget Grants Capital funding Environmental Levy

Strategy Development and Regulation Operations

Development of water sensitive design criteria

1. Develop and implement minimum water sensitive design standards for major strategic projects and assets managed by Council as resources permit.

2. All Council projects to address DCP requirements.

3. Investigate the development of standard contract requirements for capital works projects to set minimum standards for sustainability performance.

4. Deliver an annual program of action to effectively incorporate WSUD into the ongoing implementation and management of drainage, roads and streetscape capital and maintenance works.

Improve water sensitive design outcomes for Council buildings and projects.

Environmental Levy General Revenue Grants Capital funding

Strategy Development and Regulation Operations

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PILLAR 2 - Cities Providing Ecosystem Services Ku-ring-gai is home to the headwaters of a number of creeks with the majority currently in a moderate to poor condition due to urban stormwater pollution. Water quality needs to be improved by reducing the amount of stormwater runoff discharged to creeks and by providing treatment for the water which is discharged. The amount of stormwater can be reduced by harvesting runoff from roofs and paved areas for local reuse. Stormwater can be treated through the use of water sensitive urban design techniques such as raingardens, swales and gross pollutant traps which filter water using vegetation and soils before it reaches a creek. Creeks can also be improved by improving adjacent planting, managing erosion and removing litter. Green spaces should be designed and maintained to use a limited amount of water, by using efficient irrigation systems and grasses and vegetation which are more resilient to drought conditions. For irrigation water that is needed, local sources of rainwater, stormwater or wastewater should be used. By keeping our trees in our parks and streets healthy they will provide amenity and shade, keeping our neighbourhoods beautiful and cooler on a summer day. Water features also help to keep the local climate cool while providing opportunities for play, art and interest in the urban environment. By channelling the stormwater which flows from streets and paved surfaces towards trees, gardens or water features, we can provide water in a simple way. Recreation is important for residents of Ku-ring-gai, including sport, play, walking and cycling. The provision of water to sporting grounds is important to keep soils moist and to prevent injuries. The creation of green corridors for walking and cycling will also encourage people to exercise and travel without using a car. We want to ensure that our environment is healthy by providing the right water to natural systems. Our creeks need clean water, where the flow is controlled to support habitat and prevent erosion. Vegetated waterway corridors overlaid with biodiversity values provide residents with high quality recreational opportunities and pleasant movement networks. Water infrastructure and the urban landscape are to be designed both functionally and aesthetically. These integrated systems provide multiple benefits, including stormwater treatment, flood protection, heat mitigation, ecological health and landscape amenity.

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Table 2: Cities Providing Ecosystem Services Implementation Activities

Objectives

Protect, conserve and improve the condition of our waterways and riparian corridors to increase native biodiversity . Manage the quantity, frequency and quality of stormwater runoff to improve ecological stream health . Integrate water infrastructure within the urban landscape to enhance the liveability of Ku-ring-gai, by incorporating stormwater treatment, flood protection, heat mitigation, ecological health and landscape amenity.

Activity Area/ Programs Actions Target Funding Source Responsibility

Riparian lands mapping and condition assessment

1. Review and update riparian lands mapping as required.

2. Undertake condition assessment as resources permit.

Maintain or improve riparian areas and condition.

Environmental Levy Grants Capital funding

Strategy Development and Regulation

Prevention of further piping and channelling of watercourses, and remediation of existing piped and channelized systems where possible

1. Continue to apply LEP and DCP riparian controls when undertaking activities, developments and planning.

Maintain or improve riparian condition.

Environmental Levy Grants Capital funding General Revenue

Development and Regulation Strategy Operations

Priority Catchment Program

1. Reduce the quantity of stormwater runoff and the amount of impervious surfaces, particularly that which is directly connected to waterways to protect waterways from structural and ecological damage.

2. Identify and prioritise

Create one major sub catchment water plan every two years Improve the number of Category 1 condition sites that are managed.

Environmental Levy Grants Capital funding General revenue

Strategy Operations

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waterway intervention eg. protection, rehabilitation and remediation projects by: • Developing and utilising

catchment plans • Determine Directly

Connected Impervious (DCI)% values for catchment areas

• riparian lands mapping/ condition assessment

• Constraints, ecological values, logistics, social values and cost

3. Restore stream health

ecological values and functions through catchment wide stormwater retention and harvesting.

4. Identify and address areas that generate high pollution levels, such as gross pollutants (car-parks, shopping centres, schools).

WSUD Program

1. Develop a rigorous, informed framework for implementing WSUD in Council’s Priority Catchment Program.

2. Ensure WSUD is considered in all Council capital works, park lands upgrades and open space projects.

3. Ensure Council’s

1 WSUD project per year 100 per cent of town centre redevelopments incorporate WSUD features. 90 per cent of WSUD maintenance program

Environmental Levy Grants Capital funding General Revenue

Strategy Operations Development and Regulation

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development controls are periodically updated to reflect best practice WSUD management.

4. Develop an asset management database on WSUD systems to incorporate asset location, classification (e.g. rain gardens, bio-retention swales, GPTs, etc); life-cycle; maintenance requirements and replacement cost estimates.

5. Develop an effective and efficient maintenance framework for Council’s WSUD assets, so that its’ investment in WSUD are protected in the long-term.

6. Continue to build a WSUD culture within Council.

completed per year Increase number of developments that integrate sustainable water management in their design, construction and operation

Waterway / catchment health reporting

1. Undertake detailed water quality and macroinvertebrate monitoring.

2. Enhance understanding of aquatic biodiversity, birds, pest species and recreational usage of waterways and integrate ecological monitoring with other condition monitoring programs, such as water quality.

3. Investigate groundwater

Maintain or improve water quality in our creeks and catchments

Environmental Levy Grants

Strategy Development and Regulation

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impacts to sensitive environments as required.

4. Continue to explore Ku-ring-gai specific water quality parameters.

Protect natural watercourses and riparian lands by improved flood mitigation activities

1. Continue to undertake and implement flood studies and plans.

2. Apply DCP Stormwater Management provisions when undertaking activities, developments and planning.

Complete floodplain risk studies and plans in consultation with Floodplain Risk Management Committee and investigate priority actions. Mapping made publically available. Flood mapping made available on GIS.

Environmental Levy Grants Capital funding, General Revenue

Strategy Operations Development and Regulation

Micro climate management to increase resilience to future extreme heat conditions and reduce heat morbidity and mortality

1. Investigate Landsat thermal mapping.

2. Create Thermal GIS mapping layer.

3. Investigate use of Green Infrastructure in precinct developments and local town centres.

4. Identify priority locations based on assessments of exposure and vulnerability.

5. Maximise the effectiveness of existing Green Infrastructure by integrating water sensitive urban design.

6. Undertake cost/benefit thermal and waste

Mapping investigation and GIS completed. Maintain or improve thermal comfort of precincts.

Environmental Levy Grants Capital funding General revenue

Strategy Operations

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investigation of synthetic fields.

7. Undertaken modelling to assess impacts of climate change as resources permit.

8. Evaluate climate risks, adaptive capacity and mitigation opportunities for waterways.

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PILLAR 3 - Cities Comprising Water Sensitive Communities Pillar 3 essentially provides frame works and opportunities in which people appreciate the many values of water, feel connected to their local water environments and engage in water-conscious behaviours . Organisations and professionals that influence water management exhibit policies and practices that lead to water sensitive outcomes.

• Integrated approach • Seeking multiple benefits • Working with partners • Engaged communities and businesses

Ku-ring-gai Council will lead by example in the implementation of a water sensitive cities strategy to bring together a range of skills and expertise within Council to ensure water management solutions are found across the range of services and facilities that Council can influence directly. Water management solutions often require a selection of skills found across Council service areas, including engineering, parks and gardens, operations, community services and facility management. We will continually seek to deliver multiple benefits from our investments in water management. While an asset or service may provide a water management function like water treatment, flood mitigation or water supply, where possible we will endeavour to deliver broader benefits like amenity, ecological enhancement, or recreation opportunities. While Ku-ring-gai Council will lead the water sensitive cities strategy, we are reliant on active support and collaboration with our partners to achieve significant water management outcomes. Key external organisations charged with a responsibility for water management in Ku-ring-gai include Sydney Water, OEH and DPI Water. The communities and businesses that live and work in Ku-ring-gai are central to the delivery of good water management outcomes. Council is committed to supporting and working with the community to deliver local projects and to raise awareness on water issues.

• Cross-Council approach • Multiple benefits • Cross-organisational partnerships • Engaged residents, visitors or businesses

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Table 3: Cities Compromising Water Sensitive Communities Implementation Activities

Objectives

Deliver programs that support and enable a continued shift in the community to more water sensitive practices Integrate water infrastructure within the urban landscape to enhance the liveability of Ku-ring-gai, by incorporating stormwater treatment, flood protection, heat mitigation, ecological health and landscape amenity.

Activity Area/ Programs Actions Target Funding sour ce Responsibility

Advocacy – reforms to advance transition to WSC

1. Develop effective partnerships with education and research bodies to improve understanding of aquatic ecosystems and water cycle management.

2. Continue to partake and support the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities.

3. Support Sydney Water Programs to improve sustainable water use and improve ecosystem health.

4. Provide comments/ feedback on the development of state and federal legislation.

5. Continue to participate with industry groups such as Stormwater NSW.

Active partner in industry groups and research partnerships Comment on policy and legislation reforms as they occur

Environmental Levy Grants

Strategy

Staff and community education of water cycle management issues

1. Council assistance and education programs (such as water tank rebates, technical information on WSUD and water conservation)

• Progress incentives program to increase the uptake of rainwater tanks.

• Run an incentives/outreach program

Improved understanding of environmental mechanisms Instillation of tanks on private properties

Environmental Levy Grants

Strategy

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for existing developments to increase the uptake of sustainable water actions.

• Continue to provide input for GreenStyle assessments, Green Business program, Bushcare and related environmental care groups, Pool to Pond, WaterSmart, Bush-Neighbours Days and other and external initiatives such as World Water Day etc.

• Run an education program to inform the community on the multiple benefits of using rainwater. Provide incentives for the installation of water tanks at residential properties.

• Educate existing rainwater users to ensure their systems are operating efficiently and effectively.

2. Modification of urban environments, through climate sensitive and water sensitive urban design.

• Delivery of Council’s Climate Wise Communities local action sessions, focused on facilitating community climate action, including the implementation of water sensitive urban design.

3. Ensure rainwater tanks are considered for Council’s building upgrades/replacement.

through the Rainwater Tank Incentive Scheme. Increase in community program participants.

Continued research into best management practice and the local environment, including participation in research partnerships to accelerate transition to WSC

1. Develop effective partnerships with education and research bodies to improve understanding of aquatic ecosystems and water cycle management.

2. Continue to partake and support the

Report on research projects participated in

Environmental Levy Grants

Strategy

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Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities.

3. Apply and adapt research outcomes to ensure local context and applicability. Embed these findings within Council’s core functions and guiding documents.

4. Undertaken hydraulic monitoring to assess changes in catchment characteristics as resources permit.

Enforcement of water management controls

1. Ensure regulatory sediment and erosion controls, illegal piping, development in and around waterways, pollution etc.

2. Investigate auditing of OSD systems and other water management structures as resources permit.

Incidences investigated.

General Revenue

Development and Regulation

Partnerships with other water conservation and reuse programs

1. Continue to partake and support Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities.

2. Support Sydney Water Programs to improve sustainable water use and improve ecosystem health.

3. Continue to participate with industry groups such as Stormwater NSW.

Number of Active partnerships

Environmental Levy Grants

Strategy Operations

Water management and riparian objectives in planning controls

1. Reduce run-off, retain and re-use water in private buildings and businesses.

2. Apply DCP Stormwater Management provisions to activities, developments and planning.

3. Continue to integrate updated flood studies and plans and associated mapping into planning controls.

4. Continue to improve ground water controls in DCP.

Controls implemented.

General Revenue

Development and Regulation Strategy

Expansion of economic valuation methods for integrated water

1. Investigate ways to ensure microclimate and ecological benefits can be

Financial values for non-market benefits

Environmental Levy

Strategy

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planning to enable meaningful assessment of holistic solutions that incorporate non-market benefits

financially considered in the evaluation of projects.

provided. Grants

Capacity building for water professionals

1. Continue to support capacity building frameworks in order to create resilience and commitment within the organisation.

2. Support learning of Council officers involved in the assessment, design, construction and maintenance of WSUD elements.

3. Establish a mentoring program of Council design staff/project managers from concept design to detailed design of WSUD projects. This mentoring would involve consultants and other local government practitioners to ensure best management practices are being achieved.

4. Provide training to Council staff in order to ensure adequacy of designs and compliance with Council’s development controls

Participation in training programs.

Environmental Levy Grants

Strategy

.

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Implementing this strategy Making it happen Partnerships between a wide range of organisations and individuals will be vital in helping to turn the vision for a water sensitive Ku-ring-gai into reality. The Water Sensitive City Strategy will help to attain the key directions outlined in Ku-ring-gai 2030. The 3 pillars outlined in this document have examples of priority actions for Council, community and partners to undertake towards the achievement of the Ku-ring-gai 2030 and Water-Sensitive visions. Council will develop an internal implementation plan to prioritise its actions, advocate projects, bid for resources and allocate existing resources and responsibilities. Further development of the Water Sensitive Cities Strategy will be guided by staff and community workshops that will help refine the vision of a water sensitive city for Ku-ring-gai and guide specific action to be undertaken to achieve the objectives of the water sensitive cities policy. Evaluation and Review To measure progress towards achieving the key outcomes outlined in the Water Sensitive Cities Strategy, a number of outcome-based indicators have been selected. Over time, these indicators will be used to identify how successful the initiatives of Council, businesses, residents, State Government, authorities and other partners have been in working towards the preferred outcomes and key directions outlined in the Water Sensitive Cities Strategy. These indicators are not intended to form a definitive list, rather they will be helpful in revealing progress over time. The indicators will be reported against at least once every Council term (4 years). This will allow Council and its partners to monitor trends, celebrate achievements, recognise efforts and identify areas for further improvement. The results of monitoring and reporting on these indicators will help to evaluate the success of the Strategy. These evaluations will assist with reviewing the Strategy in 2020 and 2025 at which time the water needs and aspirations for the LGA Ku-ring-gai will be re-assessed for appropriate action. Items to be measured include:

• Total water use trends • Tonnes rubbish removed from our water ways. • Total alternative water sources used (ML) • Total percentage of catchment treated by WSUD • Cumulative results achieved since base year