ACT Basin Priority Project
Canberra Clean Water
Improving long term water quality in the ACT and the
Murrumbidgee River System
Conservation Council
23 July 2015
Project Background
• WMPA: Basin States to
undertake one or more
Priority Projects that will:
o Substantially contribute to
improved efficiency of
rural water use
o The sustainability of water
use
o Overall health of the Basin
ACT Basin Priority Project
• February 2014: the ACT Government signed a
funding agreement with the Commonwealth of
up to $85 million for the ACT Basin Priority
Project.
• The Project will Improve the Long Term Water
Quality in the ACT and the Murrumbidgee River
System
• The Project will be delivered in two phases with a
focus on six priority catchments
ACT Basin Priority Project
• Catchments selected to achieve representation of the broad
variety of catchment types and land development across the
Territory
o Yarralumla Creek –Mature catchment flowing into Molonglo River
o Lake Tuggeranong – Mature urbanised catchment flowing into Lake
Tuggeranong
o Upper Molonglo – Semi-rural catchment flowing into Lake Burley
Griffin
o Fyshwick – Industrial catchment flowing into Lake Burley Griffin and
Jerrabomberra Wetlands
o Lower Molonglo – Developing catchment flowing into Molonglo
o Riverview (West Belconnen) – Greenfield development flowing into
Murrumbidgee River
Governance Structure
Joint Commonwealth/ACT
Steering Committee
BPP Management Team
ACT and Region
Catchment
Management
Coordination
Group
Senior Executive
Water Group
(ACT Government)
Project Advisory
Group – Technical
Experts
Future Delivery Team
Designers/Construction Contractors
Phase 2
Project Advisory
Group –
Community
Stakeholders
Phase 1 – to Feb 2016
Pre-feasibility: Gathering data on existing
conditions & infrastructure
• Audit of WQ Data and establish data
management framework
• Water quality monitoring in 6 catchments.
• Pre-feasibility identification of options (GHD Synthesis
report)
• Audit of existing water quality infrastructure assets
Phase 1
Six catchments project – completed
March 2015
Objective:
• Water quality database
• Design and implement a water quality
monitoring framework for the six catchments
• Preliminary recommendations on
appropriate interventions (GHD Report on six
catchments)
Phase 1
ACT wide monitoring project – to December 2015
Framework for surface water and ground water based on water
quality objectives for the ACT.
Options include:
• Bathymetry
• Sediment sampling
• Micropollutants
Phase 1
Audit of Infrastructure project – August 2015
Objectives:
• Audit representative selection of existing stormwater assets;
• Advise on performance, efficiency and effectiveness,
maintenance costs and measures to improve performance;
• Inform future options under the BPP for both the type and
placement of infrastructure assets.
• Looks at gross pollutant traps, rain gardens, swales, bioretention, water quality & settlement ponds and wetlands.
Phase 1 – To Feb 2016
Final Options Identification – April to September 2015
• Identification of treatment train options across 6 catchments
and in-lake
o Establish key environmental, social, economic criteria
o Develop investment framework and MCA tool
• Community engaged in option identification
Phase 1 - Engagement
• Targeted meeting in each catchment with key stakeholders in
late May
– Project Advisory Group – Community Stakeholders and
select government officials
– To introduce the catchment treatment train options
process
– To identify water quality infrastructure options
• Community engagement in July
– Seek community views on proposed treatment trains
Open House events
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Dates by catchment
Tuesday 28 July - Lake Tuggeranong
Wednesday 29 July - Yarralumla Creek/Woden
Thursday 30 July - Jerrabomberra Creek/Fyshwick
Tuesday 4th Aug - Lower Molonglo
Wednesday 5th Aug - Upper Molonglo
Thursday 6th Aug - West Belconnen
Further detail:
http://www.environment.act.gov.au/water/act-basin-priorityproject
Basin Priority Project - Social Expectations
Survey (July – August)
• Survey and analysis of expectations, current knowledge,
attitudes and values of residents regarding ACT and region
waterways, stormwater issues and factors affecting water
quality in the ACT and region.
• Will provide data on which to base an effective behaviour
change campaign and to support decision making on
infrastructure investment.
• Betterwater.net.au - over 1500 responses in one week –
target 3000
Phase 1 – to Feb 2016
Business Case
• Ranked options to Cabinet – Sep 15
• Draft business case to Commonwealth – Dec 15
• Final business case to Commonwealth – Feb 16
Phase 2 -To be completed by March 2019.
• Will involve the construction or augmentation of water quality
infrastructure.
• Is subject to the Commonwealth Government’s final
assessment and agreement.
• A supplementary report to the initial business case utilising
information from Phase One will inform Phase Two.
Phase 2- Design and Construction
May 2016 to March 2019
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Design of approved treatment train infrastructure
Development application approvals
Construction
Need to manage risk of short timeframe
Comments
Thank you...
Basin Priority Project
matt.kendall@act.gov.au
justin.foley@act.gov.au
http://www.environment.act.gov.au/water/act-basin-priority-project
MCA-CBA Project and Catchment Options Project