Woollahra Council introduced an environmental levy in 2002 to fund a three-year Environmental Works Program (EWP) with the aim of protecting and improving the natural environment of Woollahra. Following a two-year extension, the levy finished in June 2007.

To ensure continued commitment to environmental projects, Council sought and was granted ministerial approval for the introduction of a new integrated Environmental and Infrastructure Levy for the period 2007-2012. This levy funds a revised EWP that includes an environmental works component (including studies, design, monitoring, and community education and information programs) together with an infrastructure component (covering all infrastructure works associated with managing stormwater).

In addition to the Environmental & Infrastructure Levy, $450,000 from the Stormwater Management Service Charge will assist Council to fund stormwater infrastructure projects. This charge was recently introduced in accordance with new State legislation, which recognises the key role local Councils play in stormwater management.

Environmental Education and Action Plan

To help improve the quality of storm water flowing from Woollahra's streets, parks, gardens and bush land into Sydney Harbour, Council has developed an Environmental Education and Action Plan (EEAP). The EEAP aims to provide all members of our community with the knowledge and motivation to play their part in improving storm water quality. Five key groups are targeted in this program: residents, businesses, schools, community groups and Council staff.

Learn more about the EEAP

Rose Bay Promenade Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) Project

We're taking the opportunity to incorporate Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) into Council's Rose Bay Promenade Upgrade project, leading by example to better manage Woollahra’s water usage through recycling storm water.

The project features a state of the art porous paving infiltration system retro fitted to the existing parking bays along new South head Road adjacent to the promenade. This will filter stormwater collected from the roadway and remove polluted hydrocarbons, oils and polluted sediment mixed with the stormwater. The treated storm water will be diverted to underground tanks, providing 200,000 litres storage capacity. The recycled water will then be used for irrigation and maintenance purposes, saving precious litres of potable and bore water.

Following completion of the WSUD project, interpretive signage is planned for the promenade, allowing community members to learn more about this innovative new technology – the first of its kind in the Woollahra area.

Learn more about WSUD

Drainage & Water Quality Project at The Crescent, Vaucluse

Properties along Hopetoun Ave and The Crescent, Vaucluse have been subject to flooding in the past. Extensive investigation has been completed and a combined drainage and water quality project recommended, reducing the flood risk and treating the water being discharged to the environmentally sensitive receiving waters of Parsley Bay.

The project includes:

• upgrading local drainage infrastructure and gross pollutant trap to increase stormwater capacity to transport flows and capture pollutants before they reach the harbour;
• flow diversion structures and energy dissipation to direct and reduce the velocity of increased flows, protecting the open channel through Parsley Bay Reserve from scouring and erosion and reducing the amount of sediment which is transported downstream to Parsley Bay; and 
• installation of a WSUD bio-retention system to treat overland flows from Hopetoun Ave for typical road runoff contaminants.

The project was sent to public tender in August 2007.

For more information, please contact Chris Munro, chris.munro@woollahra.nsw.gov.au or phone 93917047.

Drainage Works at Boronia St, Bellevue Hill

A stormwater drainage upgrade is taking place in Boronia and O’Sullivan Roads to help alleviate local flooding problems in the area. These works involve replacing the pipe that currently carries stormwater underneath the driveway between 53 and 55 Boronia Road and along the boundary of 173 O’Sullivan Road. The replacement pipe will be almost three times wider in diameter than the existing pipe, allowing it to safely carry much larger quantities of stormwater.

For more information, please contact Chris Munro, chris.munro@woollahra.nsw.gov.au or phone 93917047.

New Gross Pollutant Devices

Gross Pollutant Devices (GPDs) are proposed to be installed on the existing stormwater system at Edgecliff Road, Woollahra and Queens Avenue, Vaucluse to treat stormwater runoff and improve stormwater quality being discharged to the open channel sections immediately downstream. Each site has been chosen based on its proximity to environmentally sensitive areas downstream, at Harbourview Park and Hermitage Reserve respectively.

The principal function of a GPD is to intercept floatable litter and coarse sediment being washed from the catchment into the stormwater system, to prevent them from reaching the receiving water (in this case, Sydney Harbour). The catchment for the Edgecliff Road trap is some 7.3 ha in size, while that of the Queens Avenue trap is 12.24 ha. These traps combined could capture an estimated ten tonnes of gross pollutants per quarter.

View complete EWP