Seven stormwater harvesting and water reuse projects costing more than $5 million are the latest sustainable water initiatives proposed by the City of Unley in metropolitan Adelaide.
Unley Mayor Richard Thorne said the projects aim to provide alternative sources of water for Council’s numerous parks and reserves.
“We are working with all agencies at Local, State and Federal Government level to reduce Unley’s demand for potable water,” he said. “The City’s Alternative Water Supply Plan envisages returning our open space to prewater restriction standards, while reducing our reliance on potable water from 72 megalitres to five megalitres.
“Since 2005 we have reduced our water demand in parks through prudent management and more efficient irrigation equipment and philosophies.
“The ultimate objective of this project is to do everything we can at a Local Government level to ensure that the health of the River Murray and other groundwater/creek systems can be increased.
“The City of Unley also recognises the need to be part of an integrated and national approach to the planning and management of water resources – this project seeks to become the rule rather than the exception.”
In addition to capturing and harvesting stormwater in both detention systems and underground tanks, the initiative involves the construction of a 750 metre underground pipeline to carry stormwater for irrigation, and the reuse of stormwater to minimise seasonal flooding.
Unley CEO Ray Pincombe said the projects are an essential component of waterproofing the eastern suburbs of Adelaide, in which Unley is taking the lead. He commended the Federal Government for providing a grant of just under $2.6 million from its Stormwater Funding Initiative to help fund the projects.
“Unley is a small inner city council doing some innovative work without the luxury of large open space and good aquifers,” Ray Pincombe said. “The proposed stormwater harvesting and water reuse projects are just the latest in a series of initiatives undertaken by Council, several of which have led the way in Australia.”
Among the initiatives are:
- A highly popular rainwater tank rebate scheme in which tanks
do not have to be plumbed into dwellings and can be used purely
to maintain gardens and adjacent street trees. This is believed to be
a South Australian first. - The Adopt a Tree program – launched in October, this is believed
to be the most extensive program of its kind in Australia. Residents
and businesses are invited to protect as many as possible of Unley’s
23,000 street trees – a community asset that has been valued at
around $150 million or around $6,500 per tree. - Negotiations, which are nearing conclusion, with the South Australia
Government on access to recycled water via the Glenelg to Adelaide
Park Lands (GAP) Recycled Water scheme. Such an
agreement with SA Water would mean the GAP water would be
available for Unley ovals and reserves in summer 2010/2011.
For further information contact Peter Smith, Council’s Asset Manager, on 0434 078 790.
