General considerations

General considerations

• The use of stormwater can be incorporated in new urban developments using water sensitive urban design principles.
• The ecological water requirements of any ecosystems previously receiving the stormwater runoff or recharge must be accounted for.
• The quantity and quality of stormwater is highly variable and of a seasonal nature.
• Treatment requirements need to be considered to ensure the water quality is suitable for the intended uses.
• The quality of stormwater also depends on the land uses in the catchment area and treatment for non-drinking water use can be expensive and energy intensive.
• Stormwater will require storage if it is being used for irrigation, and collection areas will have to account for seasonal variation.
• Permission will be required from the owner (for example the Water Corporation or a local government authority) if the stormwater is taken from existing drains.
• For essential in-house non-drinking services, a back-up water source may be required to ensure continued supply.
• Governance issues surrounding ownership, operation and management of a community scale stormwater system can be complex.