Improving water quality in the Vasse Wonnerup Wetlands and Geographe Bay – ‘Clean Green Suburbs’ 'Urban Drainage Retrofitting' & 'Cleaner Production' Projects
Details:
GeoCatch has recently been successful in its submission for the Australian Government funded Community Coastcare project. The project Improving water quality in the Vasse Wonnerup Wetlands and Geographe Bay – ‘Clean Green Suburbs’, will be rolled out over the 24 months aligning with recommendations of the A ‘Draft Water Quality Improvement Plan for Vasse Wonnerup and Geographe Bay’, (Department of Water 2009).
Natural Resources Management Officer with the Department of water and GeoCatch said ‘The project will focus on reducing nutrients and other pollutants entering stormwater from urban areas in the Geographe Catchment and Busselton light industrial area (LIA) improving water quality entering the Vasse Wonnerup Wetlands System and Geographe Bay’.
GeoCatch and project partners including the Department of Water and the Shire of Busselton, will deliver this project by focusing on three key areas:
Cleaner Production and Bay OK program. A GeoCatch project officer will work one on one with businesses in the catchment to implement a range of water quality improvement measures. An expert technical consultant will be available to undertake an audit of business premises and activities, developing individually tailored Water Quality Management Plans. Businesses that take part will be promoted through the Bay OK program.
Clean Green Suburbs program aims to transfer skills and increase awareness of local residential and business communities through a number of initiatives including workshops to educate residents on correct fertiliser use for coastal gardens, water wise gardening, promotion of the Busselton Shire “Nature Verge” program and gardening with local indigenous species.
Urban Drainage Retrofit program will continue with implementing a stormwater upgrade throughout the catchment, project outcomes include, re-profiling and planting of stormwater drainage channels and construction of 6 bio-filtration systems or ‘rain gardens’.
Currently one rain garden at the corner of Barlee St and Bunbury St in the Busselton LIA is being monitored by the Department of Water to run over the next 18 months investigating the hydrologic and pollutant removal performance of the system. Findings from this project will add to body of knowledge on the effectiveness of these systems and how they can be replicated throughout the catchment.
GeoCatch looks forward to working with local businesses, community and other project partners to deliver this significant project.
