Design guidelines from the Upper Parramatta River Catchment Trust to help use water more wisely in our new homes and neighbourhoods have won a major award from the land development industry.

The Water-sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) Technical Guidelines for Western Sydney won the award for Environmental Excellence at this year's Urban Development Industry Association - NSW Landcom Awards for Excellence at a dinner on Friday 26 August 2005.

The Guidelines were prepared with funding from the Upper Parramatta River Catchment Trust, the NSW Government's Stormwater Trust and Sydney Water.

They were developed in response to a lack of available (WSUD measures suitable to Western Sydney, as well as a lack of established procedures, standards and approvals within councils.

The Guidelines provide developers, council staff and engineers with best management practice design specifications for a range of WSUD measures for subdivisions and allotments.

When these guidelines are used, local residents benefit from
· The protection of natural systems such as creeks, rivers and wetlands, within urban catchments,
· Improved water quality due to cleaner stormwater runoff draining from urban developments,
· Less flooding due to temporary detention of stormwater at its source, and
· Less demand for potable water as more and more stormwater is captured and re-used for non-potable purposes

The Executive Officer of the Trust, Dr Stephen Lees, said:

"This award is a ringing endorsement from developers of the good work the Trust is doing to improve and manage the waterways in Western Sydney."

An example of WSUD - rainwater tank in an Aged Care Home development