A 2015 Senate inquiry reports that ‘3,000 billion litres of stormwater’ falls annually on our urban centres and enters our waterways and oceans. By harnessing this resource to supplement our water network, stormwater harvesting can help reduce water bills, provide drought resilience, and lower demand for potable water sources.
In Australia, the cost of one kilolitre of potable water ranges from approximately $1.00 in Hobart to $3-$3.50 in urban centres such as Melbourne and South East Queensland. The benefit of harvesting the untapped potential of stormwater is futureproofing our communities and lowering reliance on council water supply.
Stormwater harvesting also offers a significant opportunity for stormwater treatment, which removes pollutants such as gross pollutants, plastics, nutrients and heavy metals from runoff and reduces the environmental impacts on downstream waterways.
Untreated stormwater acts as a conveyance highway for urban pollution. Stormwater management offers capabilities to improve environmental outcomes and remove pollutants before harvesting treated stormwater for reuse in our local communities.
The social benefits of stormwater harvesting include reducing community upkeep and providing resiliency to wet and dry periods – particularly in public areas such as sporting fields, parks, and residential developments. It also adds infiltration capacity in areas with impervious surfaces, which helps to prevent urban flooding.
