http://www.sydney.cma.nsw.gov.au/bbcci/

This is part of a Federally funded program that aims to improve water quality by significantly reducing the amount of pollutants discharging into coastal water quality hot spots. This will involve the development and implementation of Water Quality Improvement Plans (WQIPs) in partnership with relevant State Government agencies and local Councils. Once WQIPs are in place, projects to implement it will receive priority for NHT and State Government grants. In particular the Botany Bay project will establish a consistent approach to development in the Botany Bay Catchments the discharge of contaminated runoff (focusing on nitrogen, phosphorus and suspended solids) and provides key strategic direction for developing integrated urban water related developments that produce less wastewater and less potable water.

Partners: Sydney Water, DECC, SSROC

Coordinators: CMA

Status: New

Environmental outcomes: Improved coastal water quality

Funding Source: NHT/CCI

Project Updates

17 May 2007
Stage 1 of the $1M Botany Bay Coastal Catchment Initiative (BBCCI) - to determine agreed water quality objectives for the surface waters of Botany Bay and its main tributaries - is progressing well under the SMCMA's management. The Commonwealth Government is providing over $800,000, with the NSW Government contributing the rest through the SMCMA. Similar CCI projects are underway at a dozen pollution 'hot spots' around Australia.

John Dahlenburg, formerly the Water Sensitive Urban Design in Sydney project manager, has started as the BBCCI project coordinator. The NSW DECC has been sub-contracted to develop an 'ecological response model' that will be used to determine how much pollution the surface waters can assimilate before irreversible damage is caused. Several other sub-consultancies have been completed or are about to start. The project stakeholder reference committee held its first meeting at Hurstville Council on 21 March 2007, which was chaired by Cr Philip Sansom, the SMCMA's Deputy Chairman.

It is expected that the resulting water quality objectives will be adopted in regional and local planning instruments so that future developments do not compromise the water quality of Botany Bay and its tributaries. Stage 1 is due for completion by March 2008. The expected subsequent Stage 2 will then develop an agreed Water Quality Improvement Plan and decision support system.