Stormwater Harvesting, Treatment and Reuse
In recent years, the need to conserve water and to reduce the impacts of urban stormwater on creeks has led to an increase in the harvesting of stormwater for reuse. Stormwater harvesting involves collecting stormwater runoff from parks, paved areas and drains in a selected catchment. The collected water is then treated onsite to a standard that is fit for purpose (e.g. irrigation) and reused locally.
A number of stormwater harvesting and reuse systems have been constructed in Hornsby Shire through the Catchment Remediation Rate Program, with the majority of them providing irrigation for sports ovals. To ensure that the correct treatment is in place, Council monitors the quality of the runoff collected in each catchment. Once the facilities are constructed, treated stormwater is tested to make sure it is safe and suitable for reuse.
Stormwater harvesting, treatment and reuse sites are audited annually, prior to the main irrigation season.
Sampling parameters
- Temperature (oC)
- Electrical conductivity (µS/cm, mS/cm)
- Turbidity (NTU)
- Dissolved oxygen (%sat, mg/l)
- pH
- Salinity (PPT)
- Total suspended solids (TSS)
- Bacteria (Faecal coliforms, E.coli, enterococci)
- Fluoride
- UV % transparency (influences the effectiveness of the UV treatment process in removing bacteria)
Find out further information on Council’s water conservation initiatives