Streets to rivers project - stage 1

effective stormwater education case studies

Grant number: 0052
Grant funding: $398,500
Local government area/s: Marrickville and Canterbury City councils
Location/s: Subcatchments of the Cooks River catchment
Project partners: Marrickville and Canterbury City councils.

image: Drain is just for rain logo

students show off their project poster

The Cooks River catchment, of 102 km², has a population of 400,000 including 20,000 businesses. The river provides a recreational corridor from Botany Bay to Homebush Bay. It has significant remnant vegetation, is a potential wildlife corridor and has recreational and heritage values.

The river is one of the most polluted urban rivers in Australia. Both Marrickville and Canterbury councils receive numerous complaints regarding litter, particularly after rain.

Objectives

The project was devised to:

reduce levels of pollutants in the Cooks River by installing gross pollutant traps (GPTs) and reducing polluting practices through community education
pilot innovative stormwater education methods, particularly for communities from non-English speaking backgrounds
comprehensively monitor the project and complete an evaluation report that could be provided to other stormwater managers.

Description

This program built on existing programs and policies to develop new strategies, and focused on maintaining ongoing, improved stormwater pollution outcomes.

It involved the installation of two Continuous Deflective Separation-style gross pollutant traps (GPTs) and an education program conducted in each subcatchment around the GPTs.

Methodology and tools

The community education project relied heavily on recruited volunteers who were trained in environmental education. They made face-to-face contact with residents and provided information on environmental issues before street events. They visited shopping strips and small businesses in each subcatchment, targeting businesses run by members of their particular community. They visited schools to conduct workshops and promote street events.

Bilingual educators ran information days and workshops for local community groups.
Businesses underwent environmental assessment. As part of this they received environmental education via on-site discussions with the manager, followed by a report summarising the company's performance and activities relating to legislation, and additional educational materials.

Council staff received environmental management systems training and some wore the project logo as part of their uniform.

A media campaign and sponsorship strategies supported the education project.

The following were developed or organised:

volunteer training
the Streets to Rivers logo, used variously, including on stickers and T-shirts
a letter to residents
subcatchment-specific letters
a generic leaflet in English, Greek, Vietnamese, Chinese, Arabic, Portuguese and Filipino
street events (parties)
a community mural
a school education program
educational posters
banners for 'garbage and gutter night' promotions
laminated posters for shops and small businesses
drain stencils with a pelican logo and the wording: 'Cooks River starts here'
presentations to council staff on the Streets to rivers project.

Project outcomes

Three schools and over 1000 students were exposed to positive stormwater messages through workshops and activities.
Over 1000 people received information from bilingual educators at shopping centres.
Over 200 community group members from non-English speaking backgrounds attended workshops, taking away positive stormwater messages and information.
Stormwater information reached 500 people via festivals and 600 via street events.
As part of the school education program, students visited 200 local shops with a stormwater checklist to advise proprietors and managers of good management practice to avoid stormwater pollution, and of legal requirements.
There were visits to 26 industrial sites and 5 building sites to advise on work practices to avoid stormwater pollution, and legal requirements.

icon - water droplet