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Water Sensitive Urban Design

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) is an approach to urban planning and design that aims to minimise the hydrological effect of urban development on the surrounding environment. Water consumption reduction, water recycling, waste minimisation and environmental protection are key. A key element of WSUD is managing urban stormwater as both a resource and for the protection of receiving waterway ecosystems.

In 2005, Stonnington Council adopted its Sustainable Water Management Strategy, which states that Council will 'Investigate the incorporation of Water Sensitive Urban Design elements into all Council Buildings and facilities to achieve potable water consumption reduction and stormwater quality improvement.' Through its involvement in the Melbourne Water WSUD program, Council is currently undertaking a variety of WSUD projects around the municipality.

Project Examples

Street Tree Pits

Streetscape works that have been implemented along Glenferrie Road have incorporated the use of "Bioretention Systems". These systems form part of the street tree pits with the most obvious sign of their presence being the grated entry in the kerb in front of each street tree.

In this system the road runoff flowing along the Kerb enters the street tree pit through the grated entry. From this point it filters down through a specially prepared soil medium, irrigates the street tree, and flows out through a perforated pipe located in the base of the tree pit back into the stormwater drainage system. As the stormwater progresses through the soil medium, pollutants are filtered and water and nutrients taken up by the trees. This results in cleaner stormwater entering the drainage system and then into the nearby waterways and the lower Yarra River providing significant environmental benefit.

Rain Gardens

WSUD elements have recently been incorporated into reconstruction works along Orchard Street to minimise the hydrological effects of urban development on local waterways. The WSUD aspects of the project consisted of the construction of three rain gardens that not only help to reduce flooding but also treat road runoff via filtration through the soil medium with nutrients and water also trapped and utilised by the densely planted vegetation.

The three rain gardens have been planted with a variety of low growing perennial plants that have the capacity to tolerate periods of frequent water inundation as well as extended dry periods.

Rainwater Tanks

Council and the Prahran Market, in partnership with the State Government have completed a water conservation project at the Prahran Market. The project was part-funded by the State Government's Stormwater and Urban Water Conservation fund.

Twenty rainwater tanks with a total capacity of 61,000 L were installed, allowing the market to capture rainwater and reuse it for market floor wash-down, to irrigate the nursery and to wash-down the compactor room. As a result the market is currently not using potable water for wash-down purposes.

The bathroom facilities at the Prahran Market have been retrofitted with water efficient devices including low flush urinals, dual flush toilets and water saving tapware.

The project also included stallholder and community education components consisting of:

  • Installation of water wise signs for stallholder education; 
  • Highlighting the pipes that carry the rainwater to the underground tanks with green paint and rainwater stickers; and 
  • Installation of a community information sign that describes the water conservation initiatives undertaken at the market.

Council will continue to work with Melbourne Water to build capacity within Council to undertake more WSUD projects. WSUD is an important program that will lead to improvements in water quality in the Lower Yarra Region and, in some projects, the conservation of our precious portable water supplies.