 Water Conservation  Climate change  Over-consumption of potable water resources  Environmental degradation  Over-use of groundwater supplies

 Wetlands, Watercourse and Catchment Management  Unsustainable farming practices – excessive use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers  Land-based salinity  Detrimental land-use  Low water quality/quantity  Degraded fringing vegetation and invasive species  Erosion

 Water Sensitive Urban Design  Rainwater runoff wasted  Stormwater drainage contaminating wetlands and watercourses  Landscaped areas wasting potable supplies  High import and export of water-supply between catchments  Water-consumptive building designs

 Community education and awareness  Information seminars/talks  Brochures and online information  Community and/or corporate involvement – eg, “Friends of…” associations, local re-vegetation projects  School programs and competitions  Education tools – eg, a working “water-sensitive” household for community and school groups to view  Promotion of message via popular events and festivals  Local councils to set the standard through best practice water conservation methods

 Monitoring of usage  Reduced rate or local government sponsored water audits of homes and businesses  Monitoring of council water usage and water-sensitivity of works and developments  Council involvement in programs such as the ICLEI Water Campaign TM where “Milestones” to reach are pre-determined

 Planning and policy  Building standards to comply with water-sensitive design  Policies to ensure retrofitting of high water-consumptive devices over a specific period of time, i.e. toilets, faucets, shower heads (whether only for corporate or community as well)  Council landscaping designed with water tolerant vegetation  Incorporation of rainwater tanks, Greywater systems and Stormwater runoff into building and landscaping council policy

 Programs to guide participants in reducing water consumption  Showerhead exchange  Water-sensitive landscaping advice/services and brochures or online support  Online programs to track daily water consumption and determine inexpensive methods of reduction – eg, online self- audit  “Target” programs where the householder or business-owner aims to reach specific targets within a pre-determined time- frame

 Water harvesting and reuse by local councils  Use of harvested Greywater on council-owned parks, ovals and landscaped areas  Rainwater collection and storage – for use within council-owned buildings  Stormwater treatment and direction to depleted wetlands

 Land-use planning  Management of land to minimise sediment transport and mobilisation of nutrients and/or contaminants  Re-positioning works that are detrimental to nearby watercourses and/or wetlands where possible  Consideration of the effects of specific land-use upon wetland fauna and flora  Rehabilitation of degraded areas, especially buffering vegetation in wetlands close to environmentally detrimental practices  Proponents to demonstrate land-use changes or development will not have a detrimental effects on nearby wetlands and watercourses ( Swan River Trust, November 2009 )

 Water Quality Management  Regular monitoring of wetlands and watercourses to ensure nutrients, TSS and TDS are within acceptable levels  Discourage the use (and especially over-use) of super- phosphate by landowners  Use of fly-ash around wetlands for the adsorption and precipitation of phosphorous ( Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2009 )

 Groundwater Management  Re-vegetation of denuded, low-lying land to reduce potential salinity issues  Monitoring of water levels via piezometric wells  Recharging of groundwater with reclaimed water (eg, Greywater, Stormwater, rainwater)

 Stakeholder education and collaboration  Discourage the use (and especially over-use) of super- phosphate by landowners  Education for landholders in the benefits of tree-planting on their properties  Education for business and community on the importance of wetlands  Encouragement of community groups in wetland rehabilitation efforts

 Rainwater harvesting and reuse  Collection of rainwater from “safe” areas such as building roofs  Rainwater used in place of potable water – showering, dish washing, clothes washing, drinking  Can also be incorporated into a Stormwater Management System from downpipes ( Melbourne Water, 2002 )

 Stormwater Management Systems  New corporate and community developments to follow best management practices – eg, the Stormwater Management Manual for Western Australia (DoW, ) and Decision Process for Stormwater Management in WA (DoW, 2009)  Natural flow regimes where applicable and subsoil drainage  Minimum water quality treatment requirements, as indicated in Part 4 of the Swan and Canning Rivers Act 2006 when completed ( Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality, 2000 in the interim)  Use in recharging groundwater or replenishing natural and artificial wetlands and watercourses

 Greywater harvesting and reuse  New council buildings to install Greywater Systems for use in landscape, parks and ovals controlled by council  Retrofitting of Greywater Systems to established council buildings where applicable  Rebates on Greywater Systems for householders and businesses

 Protect and enhance natural water systems within urban landscapes  Recharging with treated Greywater and Stormwater runoff  Re-vegetation with focus on buffering zones in fringing vegetation around wetlands  Land-use around water systems to be carefully planned and managed  Regular monitoring of water quality and general wetland health

 Main themes:  Education and community involvement  Council setting the best practice standards via council-controlled properties  Regular monitoring of surface and groundwater sources  Rehabilitation of degraded wetland areas  Land-use being appropriate to it’s proximity to sensitive wetlands/watercourses/catchments  Implementation of water-saving and water reuse practices

 International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (2008) ICLEI Water Campaign TM Actions Report (pdf), viewed 10 August, Oceania/Reports/0812-WaterActionsReport08.pdf  Swan River Trust (November, 2009) Draft Policy SRT/D4 Stormwater Management (pdf), viewed 9 August, water_management_draft.pdf  Melbourne Water and Knox City Council (2002) Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD): For large scale developments or small scale/one off projects (pdf), viewed 10 August,  Department of Water ( ) Stormwater Management Manual for Western Australia  Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council and Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand, Canberra (ANZECC & ARMCANZ) (2000) Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality, National Water Quality Management Strategy No 4