ACT Healthy Waterways As-Built

Project Details

Rating Type: As Built
Registered Date: August 2017
Completion Date: July , 2019
Location: ACT

Assessor Name: Wade Liu
Stakeholders: ACT Government - Environment Planning and Sustainable Development & Transport Canberra and City Services; GHD, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council, Construction Control Australia, National Capital Authority

Overview

This project was all about sustainability. The water quality assets built in the project are mitigating the impacts of urban development in Canberra, and the assets were constructed in a sustainable manner. Dr Ralph Ogden, Program Manager, ACT Healthy Waterways

Project Overview

The ACT Healthy Waterways Project is a joint initiative of the Australian and ACT governments to protect and improve long-term water quality in the ACT and further downstream in the Murrumbidgee River system.

It involves the construction of a range of infrastructure - ponds, wetlands, and rain gardens – as well the restoration of creeks. The projects are all designed to ‘turn off’ or reduce the amount of nutrients, sediment and pollutants entering our waterways. The focus is on improving water quality higher up in the catchment where rainwater becomes stormwater.

Twenty infrastructure projects will be constructed, and two research projects conducted across six priority catchments:

the established catchment of Lake Tuggeranong
the established catchment of Yarralumla Creek
the developing catchment of Upper Molonglo
the developing catchment of Lower Molonglo
the developing catchment of West Belconnen
the industrialised Fyshwick catchment.

Key Achievements

19 water quality control assets have been delivered within the project duration across Canberra and-Queanbeyan region.
One asset is the largest bioretention garden built in southern hemisphere.
Positive public feedbacks about the project
Improved public amenities and enhanced ecological value

Rating Highlights

The project has exceeded the credit benchmark for Eco-1 as per the credit summary form. The project has enhanced overall per area ecological value from 0.279 to 0.44, an increase of 59%. This exceeds the benchmark required for Level 3 of this credit, set at 20%. The design and construction of project made deliberate efforts to enhance existing ecologic value by assessing existing trees and habitats for wildlife. The new infrastructure increased waterbody and vegetation for the benefits of ecosystem diversify in the Capital region.

Clean water is precious resource. While treating the waterways, it is better to minimis water usage as much as possible during construction and establishment period. Since the design, the team made selection of plants most endemic native plants. There were huge savings in water consumption comparing using exotic species.

The project had received huge positive feedbacks from the public. It turned most sites from green field into ecologically diversified amenities that public really enjoys. Works are also carried out in natural reserve in Jerrabomberra wetland (FW025), which has international significance. Seasonal birds migrate from north Asia in Jerrabomberra wetland in summer. The enhancement attract will attract more birds and bird watchers.