Water Planning – a ‘Water Sensitive Approach’
Planning for water is a continuously evolving and collaborative process that actively engages with a diversity of stakeholders across multiple water facets within a range of greenfield, urban and regional settings.
Key stakeholders include local councils, water and sewer service providers, water storage managers, waterway managers, groundwater authorities and catchment management authorities.
A water sensitive approach considers the whole of the water cycle including waterways and creeks, groundwater, management of stormwater and flooding, and water services such as potable water supply, sewerage services and alternative recycled water opportunities.
Planning seeks to recognise the individual importance of each facet of the water cycle, while aiming to enable management of water for better coordinated outcomes to improve our new and redeveloped precincts.
Water is an important contributor towards sustainable and resilient precincts, while adding diversity and value through urban transformation to provide high quality public realms for people.
Through this planning approach, the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources can make cities equitable and water-efficient.
Enhanced outcomes can be achieved by:
- Using features like streets and open spaces to better manage the impacts of stormwater;
- Ensuring places to manage water serve multiple functions including recreation, transport and biodiversity outcomes;
- Re-imagining and enhancing waterways and creek corridors as green spines with active and passive recreation spaces, varied landscape characters, flora and fauna habitats and cultural heritage significance;
- Facilitating cost effective and efficient water, sewer and drainage services;
- Facilitating better flood mitigation strategies;
- Ensuring the importance of waterways to the wider area recreational attractiveness;
- Seizing opportunities to collaboratively work together;
- Considering standards for the design and management of buildings and landscaping;
- Emphasising alternative water use (i.e. recycled water and harvested stormwater), using third pipe systems.
Burndap Birrarung burndap umarkoo, Yarra Strategic Plan
For more information, refer to the Burndap Birrarung burndap umarkoo, Yarra Strategic Plan.