In 1997, the NSW Government committed $60 million over three years to the Urban Stormwater Program to tackle urban stormwater pollution, setting up the Stormwater Trust. Most of the Trust money goes to fund local projects, such as building pollution traps and running education campaigns. A vital part of the program is the State-wide urban stormwater education program.
On 24 April 1998 the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) issued a legal direction under section 12 of the Protection of the Environment Administration Act requiring councils to prepare stormwater management plans.
The Direction for councils in the Greater Metropolitan Region generally requires the preparation of catchment-based plans on a cooperative basis, with the Direction to non-Metropolitan Region councils requiring the plan to be prepared on a local government area basis.
The legal direction was issued to facilitate the preparation of consistent stormwater management plans by all stormwater managers within a timely period.
In June 2000, the Environment Minister, Bob Debus, announced $20 million in funding for Stage 3 of the Stormwater Trust grants program. Councils are being encouraged to apply for these grants, and more local projects will have a focus on community education this year.
The NSW Government has funded a three-year Urban Stormwater Education Program, managed by the EPA and overseen by a stakeholder reference group.
The program is an important part of the EPA's ongoing commitment to stormwater education, and continues the work of the 1995 Solutions to Pollution education campaign. The research-based program is characterised by a range of partnership approaches between key sectors and agencies. Its overall aim is to improve the quality of waterways through education that has a positive impact on behaviours affecting urban stormwater quality. Major components of the program include:
- using mass media to convey the messages, including initiatives for non-English speaking communities
- working with industry, in partnership with industry associations; developing training programs and information programs
- developing programs for schools
- funding community and local council education activities.
The State Government's education campaign aims to stop people putting rubbish and pollution down the drains in the first place. It is achieving this by:
- a mass media campaign consisting of television commercials in metropolitan and regional centres, outdoor advertisements at prominent Sydney and suburban locations, a mobile billboard and a series of community service announcements featuring prominent Australians talking about stormwater, such as Sara Henderson and Don Burke and others including members of Bachelor Girl.
- outdoor advertisements in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, focused on four major stormwater pollutants: cigarette butts, car washing, painting and grass clippings and leaves. The advertisements show the impact of our behaviour on stormwater.
- a mobile billboard toured the most built-up parts of Sydney for two weeks
- industry education and training projects, with a special focus on selected industries (the horticulture, motor vehicle, and building construction and demolition industries) and local council operations that have a major impact on the stormwater system. The campaign will show these industries how to do the right thing
- innovative community education projects, where local councils are funded to find local solutions to stormwater pollution, particularly community education and stormwater treatment devices such as pollution traps. To date, more than 250 local projects have been funded across the state. About half of these projects are working to educate the community about ways of preventing stormwater pollution.
A pool of community stormwater trainers has been established across NSW. Councils and other organisations are invited to contact one of their local stormwater trainers to arrange a short talk on how to improve the quality of stormwater and local waterways.
These people have been trained and registered to conduct presentations to their local communities on local stormwater issues.
Ethnic communities, like others in NSW, care about and want to participate in activities that will improve the environment. Research has found that many people from non-English speaking backgrounds had little understanding that stormwater and sewage systems were different. Most thought that all the materials that go into street drains are treated and cleaned.
In response to this finding, a special ethnic communities education program has been set up to increase the awareness and involvement of ethnic communities in environmental issues and activities.
A schools stormwater education package is being developed. The package will consist of three components, designed to work together to encourage and support the widespread uptake of stormwater education activity across all NSW schools
The whole package will contain a reporting/feedback mechanism.
Special emphasis will be placed on oral communication skills, communication with parents, the current civics and citizenship focus in schools, and the role of the school and individuals in catchment protection.
Strict pollution controls on industry have helped reduce impact on the environment in recent years. The State Government's stormwater education program is working with selected industries (the horticulture, motor vehicle, and building construction and demolition industries)and local council operations that have a major impact on the stormwater system.
A series of "Managing Urban Stormwater" documents is currently under preparation to assist councils, State Government Agencies, developers and consultants to improve stormwater management practices.
See also the EPA's approach to managing stormwater quality at construction sites under both the existing environmental legislation and the new Protection of the Environment Operations Act, which provides guidance to local councils on appropriate elements of a council's erosion and sediment control policy.
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