FAQ - Local Requirements

Stormwater Terms

As part of the urban water sector, we use many industry terms and phrases. The most common of these are stormwater and WSUD.

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) is the design of buildings, subdivisions, and works to minimise the impact on the surrounding environment and waterways. WSUD involves treating and reducing stormwater flows, increasing soil moisture, urban greening, and providing an alternative water source. Examples of this include rooftop gardens, planted kerbsides as well as the construction of parks and wetlands in urban environments.

Stormwater, or rainwater runoff, is as the name implies - rainwater that runs off land, moving away from the area where it originally falls. In urban or built-up areas, it is commonly rain that flows across surfaces where water cannot penetrate such as roofs, driveways, and roads. It is carried away by a series of pipes known as the stormwater drainage network to our natural water bodies—creeks, rivers, and the sea.

Click 'read more' for a list of common stormwater terms.

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