Seven New Stormwater Harvesting Schemes for Brisbane
Brisbane City Council is embracing stormwater harvesting as a form of decentralised water supply, with seven new schemes being rolled out around Brisbane.
Bligh Tanner has designed four of these schemes located at Norman Park, Langlands Park, Sexton Street in Tarragindi (in the Norman Creek catchment), and Downey Park on Breakfast Creek.
All four schemes will provide off-stream storage and treatment to supply an estimated 125 ML per year of water for the irrigation of nearby sporting fields.
Downey Park and Norman Creek are unique in that they will use existing stormwater drains combined with an innovative floating flood gate to create highly cost-effective water storage. Bligh Tanner has designed the flood gate to accommodate both extremes of Brisbane’s weather – from the very dry to the very wet. The flood gate will exclude salty tidal flows in dry weather while in wet weather allow stormwater to pass without causing upstream flooding.
‘Stormwater harvesting is still relatively new as a form of decentralised water supply. Our scheme provides a cost effective, sustainable and reliable alternative water supply that reduces the demands on the potable water supply system,’ said David Hamlyn-Harris, Director, Bligh Tanner.
The projects have received funding support from the Australian Government’s National Urban Water and Desalination Plan: Stormwater Harvesting and Reuse program. Detailed design and tender documentation is complete, with construction expected to commence mid 2014.
Image courtesy Brisbane Marketing
