There is a growing need to diversify the urban water supply system and reduce the impact of stormwater runoff on rivers and creeks. On average, every year approximately 460 billion litres of water in greater Melbourne flows from the roofs, streets and car parks into Port Phillip Bay and Western Port.

Melbourne Water and City of Yarra engaged Alluvium to review the potential of stormwater harvesting in Westfield Reserve, Fairfield, a 80 hectare catchment that flows into Merri Creek.

Our work involved determination of the harvestable stormwater volumes from the 80 hectare upstream catchment under a range climatic conditions and a detailed understanding of the site constraints and space requirements for harvesting, treatment and distribution.

We determined the local demand for stormwater from a seasonal volume and water quality perspective and documented the costs and benefits of the entire stormwater harvesting scheme

Options were developed for a systems that could satisfy between 13 and 77 ML per year of demand for the irrigation of up to eight sporting ovals and supply to two nurseries within the Yarra Bend Park precinct.