Waverley waters down a storm
Image: Bronte Gully Stormwater Harvesting System / Photo: Waverley Council
Waverley Council is set to introduce a monitoring program to ensure the cleanliness of Bondi and Bronte’s stormwater capture and reuse systems.
The program will monitor the water capture and reuse systems, which supply recycled water for public toilets, cleaning and irrigation.
The introduction of the program comes after reports of increased stormwater pollution in Bronte Gully and surrounding areas.
Councillor Ingrid Strewe expressed concerns about the level of pollution in the stream that feeds the Bronte reuse system and hopes the program can provide an insight into the source of the pollution.
“The stream has been really badly polluted for the last six months off and on. We have spent countless hours testing the water quality, trying to find out who it is that’s polluting,” she said.
According to Peter Monks, Waverley Director of Planning and Environmental Services, the program “replicates a successful program in Manly, where you start testing at the stormwater outlet and work up through the catchment”.
Mr Monks said there would be a specific program for Bronte attempting to identify the exact source of pollution. “We’ll do a targeted stormwater pollution education program in Bronte Gully once we know what the pollutants of the stormwater are,” he said.
Each year the stormwater reuse systems supply approximately 12 megalitres of recycled water in Bronte and 42 megalitres in Bondi, with maintenance costing around $12,000 each year.
Despite the pollution hurdle, the scheme has helped cement Waverley Council’s position as a leader in environmental sustainability. A statement released by Council noted that the “overall system performance is outstanding and the success of the Bronte project has been recognised through the receipt of numerous industry awards for innovation and performance”.
Councillor Leon Goltsman hopes to galvanise and improve this reputation by implementing a comprehensive water reuse system that will serve much of the Waverley area. Called the ‘Waverley Water Hub’, the system would recycle rainwater, which would then be filtered and distributed to local residents.
Mr Goltsman believes the scheme could bring the price of water down from two dollars to 25 cents per kilolitre. “If we reuse our water, it means we don’t have to use a potable main [and] we don’t have to plug into Sydney Water. This would greatly reduce cost,” he said.
Despite experiencing underwhelming support from fellow councillors, Mr Goltsman remains steadfast in his desire to bring his plan to fruition.
“I didn’t have the support from all the councillors. We have received a grant to fund this and I will do whatever is necessary to see that it is implemented,” he said.
