Liverpool City Council has led a consortium of councils in developing an innovative web based toolkit set to improve water quality in New South Wales, with funding provided by the State Government’s Stormwater Trust. The toolkit is available on CD Rom and is to be distributed to local councils throughout the State.
Mike Sharpin, from New South Wales Department of Environment, said the toolkit is a valuable resource for Local Government.
“It will help councils develop cost effective and targeted water quality monitoring programs. Water quality monitoring is needed to measure the health of our waterways and the success of projects addressing water pollution problems.
“The toolkit includes standards and protocols, reporting mechanisms and useful case studies. As well as being a useful resource for councils, the toolkit is also set to benefit community environmental groups, water industry practitioners and students. This project is an outstanding example of Local and State Governments, and other agencies, working together to achieve better outcomes for our waterways.”
Liverpool City Council engaged Molino Stewart Pty Ltd to develop the toolkit. The Molino Stewart Pty Ltd team included the University of Western Sydney’s Integrated Catchment and Environmental Management Group and Hornsby Shire Council’s Water Catchments Team.
A steering committee comprised of officers from Liverpool, Fairfield, Wollondilly, Hawkesbury, Campbelltown and Shoalhaven Councils, the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils, Upper Parramatta River Catchment Trust and the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources were also involved in the project. A number of councils throughout NSW were consulted in developing the toolkit to ensure that the resource met the needs for water quality monitoring in Local Government.
The toolkit is a user friendly resource which provides guidelines on how to conduct a water quality monitoring program from start to finish. Councils are able to access the resource at different stages of the water quality monitoring process to find the information that they require. In addition, the toolkit provides guidance on strategic issues on the design of a water quality monitoring program through to the use of water quality data in decision making.
“This project is ground breaking in setting new standards for water quality monitoring in Local Government,” said Arvind Lal, Liverpool City Council’s Drainage and Floodplain Assets Team Leader. “Liverpool City Council has been instrumental in coordinating the development of this toolkit and we’re pleased to be involved in a project that promotes improved water quality for local communities.”
For more information on the water quality monitoring toolkit, or to obtain a copy, contact Terry Kefalianos, at Liverpool City Council, on (02) 9821 9248.
