Out with the old and in with the new
By Shane Dalton *
Large scale engineering developments have been cognisant of community values and tolerances of engineering versus the environment for several decades. Environmental concerns at local level have introduced an appreciable trickle effect through to Local Government level.
At Local Government level new developers are rightfully subject to drainage schemes that are not just quantity control but are focused on quality control.
‘Sustainable’ is a term that conjures words such as ‘maintain’, ‘support’, ‘provide for’ or ‘keep alive’. An ecologically sustainable development is therefore one that inherently keeps alive an existing environmental amenity for the next generation.
I am somewhat curious by the inner city elitism of blaming the ‘urban sprawl’ for all the levels of environmental degradation. Perhaps there now needs to be some introverted assessment of the environmental degradation not obvious but being caused by the 19th century design and constructed infrastructure existing in some of our inner suburban areas.
Creating a paradigm shift in thinking for both infrastructure and the environment in new developments is quite a simple process.
At government level, both Local and State, it is quite easy to introduce new requirements in relation to stormwater control and the re establishment and maintenance of current environmental amenities. It is usually at little cost to Local Government as it is encapsulated into the development approval process.
It is in the existing urban areas that the greatest challenge exists for Local Government with very little new development that can fund the retrofitting of 21st century infrastructure.
Terrace style housing in an inner suburban area with its ageing infrastructure, lack of storm water quality control, its high level of impervious pavement is perhaps sublimely emerging as the greatest environmental hazard to our large cities at present. The retrofitting of new age technology to these inner city suburban areas is fast becoming one of the major challenges for Local Government.
The highly inefficient sewer systems existing in these areas need to be renewed; they are 20 to 50 years beyond their ‘use by date’. The retrofitting of contemporary stormwater standards to these inner areas is fast becoming an expensive and challenging issue for Local Government.
All levels of government will see environmental remediation of areas, where the sewer, stormwater and utility services have been neglected, as an issue that will most likely become the responsibility of Local Government as it is a local issue.
One such issue in point is the progressive replacement of our post war infrastructure that has now exceeded its 50 year lifespan. The extensive asbestos cement water mains in our suburban networks are now part of our water board’s replacement programs. The process is quite simple: replace the failing water main offline and leave the deleterious material in situ and remove any record of its existence.
At what point does Local Government take responsibility for its asset, that is the used space in its ever crowding road reserves? Who will be ultimately responsible for the safe removal of the asbestos pipe conduit?
Acquisition of areas for contemporary stormwater quality control will be another issue that will encompass long term planning for retrofitting. The areas we are discussing are not just your early 20th century suburbs, but all suburbs that preceded our change in thinking in relation to stormwater controls and hazardous materials use, that is pre 1980s.
‘Out with the old and in with the new’ is fast becoming a major cost and social implication to Local Government.
Governance of our ageing urban areas holds severe environmental responsibilities and its subsequent costs will be borne at Local Government level and ‘failing to plan is a plan for failure’.
* Shane Dalton is a partner of Dalton Consulting Engineers in Melbourne
