The following projects were delivered by two research partnerships:

Aquatic Pollution Prevention Partnership (A3P)

Aquatic Pollution Prevention Partnership

Effective and affordable opportunities for the treatment of industrial pollutants in stormwater drains (2018-2028)

This project aims to determine the most effective ways to reduce pollution from industrial estates, including structural and non-structural pollution control options. It also trials innovative assets that treat dry weather flows in stormwater drains and assess benefits for performance and maintenance of downstream waterways. For more details, visit the partnership project webpage and see the factsheet.

Develop efficient and effective indicators and approaches to monitor the performance of stormwater wetlands to inform improved designs, appropriate maintenance regimes and long-term sustainability (2018-2023)

This project aimed to investigate the types and levels of pollutants captured in stormwater treatment wetlands, and implications for wetland performance. This will help inform stormwater wetland maintenance programs as well as future wetland design guidelines. For more details, visit the partnership project webpage or see the factsheet.

Waterways Practice Partnership (MWRPP)

Melbourne Waterways Research Practice Partnership

Exploring the optimum combination of centralised and decentralised approaches to stormwater management (2023-2028)

This project explores how best to distribute stormwater management interventions across a catchment to maximise their contribution to Healthy Waterways Strategy performance objectives, including protecting headwater streams. It will increase the ability of Melbourne Water and our stakeholders to make practical decisions about the types of stormwater control measures that are most likely to be effective and where they should be located in order to protect streams in urbanising areas.

Protecting Sunbury streams and headwaters from urbanisation (2018-2028)

This project evaluates the waterway health benefits of the planned Sunbury Integrated Water Management (IWM) project. It will help us better understand how regional schemes that capture, treat, harvest and use stormwater can protect the health of streams in urbanising areas. This has the potential to inform future policies and practices for new urban developments, including the protection of small headwater streams.

Irrigating street trees with stormwater (2018-2028)

This project is investigating whether streetscapes can be designed to promote stormwater infiltration, thereby protecting urban streams and increasing tree canopy cover. Improved design will focus on reusing stormwater runoff to water trees, thus protecting waterways, while providing shade that can cool residential streets – increasing liveability.

Application of real-time-control technology to the management of stormwater (2018-2028)

This project aims to test and apply real-time control (RTC) technology to manage urban stormwater. Through more dynamic operation of stormwater assets (e.g. rainwater tanks, stormwater wetlands, urban lakes), it will enhance Melbourne Water’s ability to protect waterways and deliver more sustainable and liveable urban landscapes, under continued urban growth and climate change. It will also improve our understanding of the potential for RTC to provide multiple benefits, including healthier streams, reduced localised flooding and non-potable household water use (e.g. toilet flushing, garden watering).

Long-term effectiveness of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) assets on private land (2018-2023)

This project focused on lessons from multiple cases studies involving the use of WSUD (rainwater tanks) on private land and how contrasting approaches (e.g. tank acquisition, maintenance arrangements) impacted asset performance. Lessons will support future stormwater policy, incentive programs and WSUD management on private land.

Optimising constructed wetland design, management and performance prediction (2018-2023)

This project focused on understanding the drivers of stormwater wetland treatment performance, as well as practical indicators (e.g. vegetation cover, water levels) to identify when maintenance or renewal was required. Results from this research are being used to improve guidelines for wetland design and inform Melbourne Water's stormwater wetland maintenance program.

Restoring the health of urban streams through stormwater management (2018-2023)

This project focused on understanding how stormwater runoff from urban development can be adequately retained, used and treated to protect or restore stream ecosystem structure and function. Using the Little Stringybark and Dobsons creeks as case studies, it provides increased confidence in the ability of stormwater management approaches to support healthy urban streams and inform further investment in similar stormwater management actions across Melbourne Water’s region.