Peeling back the Pavement - POLIS Water Sustainability Project

further loss or degradation of “beneficial uses” in the watershed. This change mirrors a
similar move in Australia towards a more integrated “watershed perspective.”
South Australia’s Stormwater Management Authority
The Stormwater Management Authority (SMA) is a relatively new independent statutory
body created under the Local Government Act in the State of South Australia.
Established in 2007, the Local Government Stormwater Management Amendment Act
sets out the joint roles and responsibilities of the State and local governments within
the state and provides governance arrangements for stormwater management on a
watershed basis throughout South Australia.
Local councils continue to play a major role in stormwater management under the
SMA, including preparing stormwater management plans and oversight of infrastructure
projects, with the Authority facilitating the coordination of stormwater issues
between councils that share the same watershed. The act also commits approximately
Can$4 million per year (indexed) for 30 years by the State for local governments to
carry out stormwater planning, community education, pilot projects, and catalyze green
infrastructure projects through a Stormwater Management Fund. Parliament, Natural
Resource Management Board, and local government disaster funds support the fund.
One of the SMA’s early actions was to establish a set of guidelines including six policy
goals for comprehensive stormwater management planning. A principle objective of
these goals is to define the responsibility of the SMA (rather than individual councils) to
coordinate planning for stormwater management on a watershed basis.
• Apply risk management framework for hazards/flooding based on catchment
characteristics and rigorous data collection;
• Facilitate more productive use of stormwater;
• Manage the environmental impacts of stormwater as a conveyor of pollution;
• Manage stormwater as part of the urban water cycle recognizing natural
watercourses and ecosystems where feasible;
• Achieve responsible stormwater management locally by making better use of the
statutory development planning system; and
• Gain innovative stormwater policy outcomes through the most effective funding
and procurement arrangements.
Local councils that want funding support for stormwater infrastructure through the
SMA's Stormwater Management Fund must first develop a Stormwater Management
Plan (SMP) that conforms to these six guidelines. These plans must be developed in
consultation with the community. As outlined in South Australia’s water plan, Water
for Good, SMPs also need to explore the harvesting and reuse aspects of stormwater
management. Ultimately, both the Natural Resources Management Board and the SMA
must approve plans. Eventually, all future investment in stormwater infrastructure with
state government support (i.e. beyond the SMA’s Stormwater Management Fund) will
be in infrastructure that has been justified through the SMP process. In South Australia,
this is creating a strong incentive for ongoing innovation and a positive cycle of progressive
infrastructure development. Sources on page 67.
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