#3.1 Integrated Water Management – Innovation
Providing innovative integrated water management (IWM) in new subdivisions supports sustainable water use, enhances local ecology, and creates engaging public spaces. IWM approaches help manage stormwater, celebrate water in the landscape, and build climate resilience.
The Victorian Planning Provisions include the following objectives for integrated water management:
- To implement relevant streetscape, landscape, urban design, or native vegetation precinct plans, strategies, or policies for the area (56.05-1).
- To manage stormwater to protect water quality, reduce runoff, and support healthy waterways (56.07-4).
- To promote integrated water management that supports sustainable water supply, use, and re-use (19.03-3).
BESS rewards subdivisions that consider integrated water management by:
- Celebrating water in the landscape through visible water features or design elements. [https://staging.bess.net.au/admin/sd_engine/sddocumentationmodel/84/change/]
- Providing a recycled water supply for non-potable uses. [https://staging.bess.net.au/admin/sd_engine/sddocumentationmodel/85/change/]
- Applying ‘sponge city’ principles to increase infiltration and reduce runoff. [https://staging.bess.net.au/admin/sd_engine/sddocumentationmodel/86/change/]
- Using integrated water management to support ecological outcomes. [https://staging.bess.net.au/admin/sd_engine/sddocumentationmodel/87/change/]