Code of Practice - Irrigated Public Open Space - SA Water

3.0 POLICY & PLANNING
3.1 Water use policy
In order to ensure that the issue of sustainable water
management is a priority for the organisation, a clear policy
statement is required. This statement should outline the
commitment to sustainable water use in the management of
Irrigated Public Open Space (IPOS). The policy should be
succinct and be able to guide future decisions in relation to
the provision and management of IPOS.
The policy should address the planning and development of
new sites and should be used to assess the appropriateness
of current irrigated sites.
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EXAMPLE: ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE WATER USE POLICY
• Watersupply
Where possible sources other than potable mains water should
be identified and investigated for use on IPOS.
• Environmentalandwaterqualitymanagement
Steps must be taken at the planning and design stage to ensure
irrigation has minimal negative affects on the surrounding
environment and natural drainage systems. Water sensitive urban
design principals must be considered and implemented when
planning the development of IPOS.
• Bestpracticeirrigationmanagement
All sites irrigated should adopt the principles of best practice in
regard to design, installation, maintenance and scheduling.
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The objectives of this policy are to:
• Achieve a balance between the provision of an amenity
landscape that is aesthetically pleasing, meets the needs
of the community and is economically and
environmentally sustainable.
• Implement the principles of water sensitive urban design
to achieve integration of water cycle management into
urban planning and design.
• Achieve a consistent approach in the provision and
development of the irrigated landscape.
• Provide a clear direction and framework for irrigation
and water management strategies to enable water
conservation and financial savings to be achieved.
The policy must be endorsed by the organisation at the
highest level.
• FunctionalbenefitofIPOS
The provision of IPOS should be based on an assessment of the
functional benefit of the site. Irrigation should only be provided
where there is a clear functional benefit (eg sports ground, picnic
area). The area being irrigated should be the minimum required to
achieve the functional objective, complimented by dry–landscape
treatments. Areas with low function but high aesthetic value
(eg verges, entry statements) should be restricted to water
supply sources other than mains potable water.
• Waterefficiencymanagementplanningandreporting
All sites should be covered under a water efficiency management
plan and reporting process that monitors irrigation efficiency and
the quality and ‘fit for purpose’ standard of the turf.