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Urban Stormwater Guidance - Response to Public Comments

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Urban Stormwater Guidance - Response to Public Comments Urban stormwater guidance - Response to public comments Publication 1972 June 2021 Urban stormwater guidance - Response to public comments Publication 1972 June 2021 Authorised and published by EPA Victoria Level 3, 200 Victoria Street, Carlton VIC 3053 1300 372 842 (1300 EPA VIC) epa.vic.gov.au This publication is for general guidance only. You should obtain professional advice if you have any specific concern. EPA Victoria has made every reasonable effort to ensure accuracy at the time of publication. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Give feedback about this publication online: epa.vic.gov.au/publication-feedback EPA acknowledges Aboriginal people as the first peoples and Traditional custodians of the land and water on which we live, work and depend. We pay respect to Aboriginal Elders, past and present. As Victoria's environmental regulator, we pay respect to how Country has been protected and cared for by Aboriginal people over many tens of thousands of years. We acknowledge the unique spiritual and cultural significance of land, water and all that is in the environment to Traditional Owners, and recognise their continuing connection to, and aspirations for Country. For languages other than English, please call 131 450. Visit epa.vic.gov.au/language-help for next steps. If you need assistance because of a hearing or speech impairment, please visit relayservice.gov.au 2 Urban stormwater guidance - Response to comments Contents Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Our engagement objectives ..................................................................................................................................... 5 How we engaged with stakeholders and the community ........................................................................ 5 Public consultation on the draft Urban stormwater management guidance ..................................................................5 Summary of issues raised in submissions ........................................................................................................ 6 Table 1: Summary of key issues raised resulting in changes to the draft guidance .................................................... 8 Draft Guidance: key issues and responses ...................................................................................................... 9 New environment protection framework ............................................................................................................................................... 9 Request for more specific objectives ....................................................................................................................................................... 9 Different or increased objectives ............................................................................................................................................................. 10 Request for numeric minimum standards / compliance requirements and offsets .................................................... 11 Uncertainty about what is reasonably practicable ........................................................................................................................ 11 Achieving the objectives ................................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Appropriateness of existing software tools......................................................................................................................................... 13 Implementation and ongoing maintenance of controls, roles and responsibilities, MUSIA, stormwater management plans ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 13 Developing state of knowledge and additional risk factors to consider ...........................................................................14 Construction and sediment control .........................................................................................................................................................14 Identifying priority urban stormwater management areas outside greater Melbourne ........................................ 15 Managing human health risks and waterway values .................................................................................................................... 15 Importance of integrated water management, water sensitive urban design (WSUD), and ecologically sustainable development ...............................................................................................................................................................................16 Request for additional indicative management scenarios and infographics ................................................................16 1. Appendices .............................................................................................................................................................. 18 1.1 Appendix A —Submissions received ........................................................................................................................................ 18 3 Urban stormwater guidance - Response to public comments Introduction From 21 October to 16 December 2020, EPA Victoria sought public feedback on the draft Urban stormwater management guidance (the draft guidance). As Victoria grows, the number of urban sealed surfaces also grows, increasing the volume of stormwater generated. EPA has received consistent feedback from stakeholders that it is important to reduce stormwater flows and more needs to be done to protect the environment from the risks associated with stormwater generation. Risks associated with urban stormwater include: • erosion • pollution of waterways • human health risks • harm to aquatic ecosystems. Providing updated, science-based guidance relating to urban stormwater management is an important step towards achieving a reduction in risks from stormwater. The draft guidance built on the updated scientific research presented in: Review of stormwater science (publication 1919) published in October 2020. The review was commissioned by EPA and conducted by the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities Ltd to provide an understanding of recent stormwater science. The report aimed to review science undertaken since 2013 when the last review took place. The Urban stormwater management guidance is intended to help improve urban stormwater management in Victoria. It supports minimising the risk of harm to human health and the environment through good environmental practice, and it provides information that will support the planning and design of new urban stormwater management systems. The guidance: • highlights the risk to waterways and bays the creation of sealed (impervious) surfaces causes • provides general objectives and information to support risk assessment and minimisation • explains stormwater management for communities in Victoria. The Urban stormwater management guidance (EPA publication) was developed through: • review of stormwater science, including scientific research on waterway values and place-based objectives, flows, water quality, stormwater management objectives and the performance of urban stormwater management measures • analysis of different stormwater control measures that reduced flow volumes for typical development scenarios • alignment with government policy and strategies such as Water for Victoria 2016 and the Port Phillip Bay Environmental Management Plan 2017–2027 (EMP) and Healthy Waterways Strategy • consultation across other government agencies such as Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), Victorian Planning Authority (VPA), Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), and Department of Health (DH) (formerly Department of Health and Human Services), water authorities, Melbourne Water, practitioners and leading developers and local councils. • consultation with the public. 4 Urban stormwater guidance - Response to comments Our engagement objectives EPA aimed to: • understand the level of support for the draft guidance among stakeholders and the public • seek stakeholder input to improve usability of the guidance • gather suggestions for changes to stormwater performance objectives, when supported by robust data and science • support stakeholders and the public to participate meaningfully in the engagement process. How we engaged with stakeholders and the community As part of this consultation process EPA engaged through a number of different forums to gain an understanding of the views of a broad section of relevant stakeholders and the public. We spoke with other government agencies including DELWP, VPA, MAV, and DoH (formerly DHHS), water authorities, Melbourne Water, practitioners and leading developers, local councils and the general public. We encouraged feedback through a range of engagement strategies. Engagement activities included: • presenting at nine reference group (https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-epa/who-epa-works- with/reference-groups) meetings targeting the construction and infrastructure industry, water industry and the community • publishing two EPA bulletins to
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