City of Kingston Council says conserving drinking water, increasing the use of alternative water, and improving the quality of stormwater runoff that flows into local watercourses and Port Phillip Bay are the major objectives of a new Integrated Water Strategy.
Kingston Mayor, Hadi Saab said the strategy recognises the immense pressures that changes to climate and increased urbanisation places on every part of the water cycle.
“This important work builds on our award-winning inaugural Integrated Water Cycle Strategy from 2012 that has been instrumental in guiding Council’s objectives and actions related to water management over the last 10 years and was the foundation for many of the innovative projects and approaches that we have implemented,” Mayor Saab said.
“The new strategy has deliberately been written as a community focussed document that explains our future direction, what Council will do, and what actions our community can take. It includes an implementation plan that clearly explains actions and timeframes across a broad range of initiatives, such as raising community awareness, improving developer outcomes, and constructing integrated water infrastructure.
“The strategy is supported by the more detailed Full Picture document that provides additional information about our journey, challenges, and opportunities,” he said.
The Mayor said the actions within Council’s 2022 Water Strategy were closely aligned and support other important Council and regional strategies and plans, such as Kingston’s Climate & Ecological Emergency Response Plan (2021), the Urban Cooling Strategy (2020) and the draft Coastal & Marine Management Plan (2021); and the Victorian Government’s Healthy Waterways Strategy (2018 -28) and draft Greater Melbourne Urban Water & System Strategy: Water for Life (2022).
The strategic objectives, goals and targets, for both 2030 and 2050, are focussed on:
• using water wisely, including less drinking water (potable water) and more use of alternative;
water such as rainwater tanks, harvested stormwater and recycled water;
• protecting our waterways and Bay by reducing litter and all forms of pollution;
• improving our flood management, including prevention and response; and
• enhancing education, engagement and partnerships with our community and regional
partners.
For more information visit https://www.yourkingstonyoursay.com.au/integratedwater.
