Located 16 kilometres south of Sydney’s CBD, Kogarah Council is working with local businesses and the community to improve water sustainability.
The Carlton Industrial Area located in Kogarah is one of the last remaining business hubs in the area. With a mixture of commercial, industrial, small business and retail, the hub provides an important economic role for the municipality.
This industrial area is also part of Kogarah Bay catchment, which is one of the largest catchments in the Council area and includes both industrial and residential properties, as well as an open canal flowing through the industrial area.
Urban runoff in industrial areas are of most concern, as they are typically large impervious areas and have the potential for a wider range of pollutant types and concentrations than normal runoff areas.
Under the Carlton Industrial Sustainable Water Program (CISWP), Council is working with industrial businesses, local schools and the greater community to develop and implement an educational program that will achieve best practice in rainwater runoff management and minimise potable water consumption.
Council’s Acting Manager Catchment and Waterways, Gurmeet Singh, said that the program empowers local businesses and the wider community to be leaders in the implementation of a holistic water management approach.
“The program creates an opportunity for Council to change the mindset and inform the diverse population, which includes staff, businesses and the wider community, as to the effect runoff water has on our waterways, and the need for water conservation,” he said.
As part of the program, school education programs will be used to improve the knowledge and understanding of future generations, while all participating businesses will receive complimentary environmental water audits, advice on possible potable water saving opportunities, complimentary water saving devices, initiatives for water reuse on site, comprehensive environmental education packages on best management practices and access to seminars and workshops.
Under the project, drainage conditions in the catchment will also be improved to reflect principles of water sensitive urban design (WSUD).
Some of the anticipated outcomes include:
- a reduction in the amount of potable water
used and other associated costs - a reduction in the amount of pollutants
entering Kogarah Bay and the river it is part of – Georges River - improved aquatic health and marine life
- increased understanding of urban runoff
management - the development of synergies between
Council, the community and industry.
A monitoring framework for the program has been developed, which involves a community group and local high school testing the water quality at both the Kogarah Bay catchment and Georges River. This testing will enable the overall health of the waterways to be assessed and will also assist with evaluating long term trends in the receiving waters and any stormwater quality improvements.
The water quality data will also enable project milestones to be established for the purpose of informing the community and various other stakeholders on progress.
A total of 82 per cent of businesses located in
the Carlton Industrial Area have joined the program, demonstrating the commitment of Kogarah’s local businesses to the environment.
For further information, contact Violeta Becvarovski at Kogarah’s Department of Assets and Services on (02) 9330 9448.
