Thank you to everyone who contributed to the conversation on the draft Integrated Water Management Plan. We are now considering your feedback. The Plan will go to Council for endoresement in mid-2024.

Water is the essence of all life. It is critical to the liveability of our City, the health of our ecosystems and prosperity of our communities.

We use water to sustain our parks and gardens, to service the Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre and to support our many other Council operations and facilities so it is vital that it is used wisely to keep our environment and community healthy.

The sustainable management of our water resources will play an integral role in meeting current and future challenges associated with population growth, providing quality open spaces to alleviate the urban heat island effect, and ensuring community and environmental resilience.

Achieving the right balance through a holistic approach to water management to meet our needs and the environment’s needs, will ensure Maribyrnong is resilient to these water related issues.

About the draft Integrated Water Management Plan

Council plays a vital role in water management by managing public assets and drainage, managing its water use, and indirectly through community education.

The draft Maribyrnong Integrated Water Management Plan 2023-2033 considers key challenges surrounding water management issues such as population increase, increasing demand, climate change, and waterway health.

It establishes Council's vision, targets and objectives, identifies opportunities for integrated water management across our municipality, and lists ways to drive more innovative approaches to water management.

The draft also identifies over 50 proposed actions to help protect our waterways and local habitat, improve stormwater quality by reducing pollutants entering downstream waterways, increase community liveability, recreation and amenity, support tree growth and greener neighbourhoods, improve community and environmental resilience, and help minimise the urban heat island effect.

The document has been informed by research, stakeholder conversations, and specialist and technical advice. Your comments will be considered prior to Council endorsement of the final Integrated Water Management Plan, which we will share back with you in mid-2024.

Learn more about the draft Plan and proposed actions by reading the draft in the document library.

Over 50 actions are proposed to support Council to achieve the four objectives outlined in the draft Plan. This includes the following short, medium and long-term actions (timeframes ranging from 0-3, 4-6, and 7-10 years):

• requiring all larger private redevelopments to include integrated water management in their planning
• incorporating specific stormwater flow and quality requirements in planning permits that are directly upstream of important wetlands
• developing guidance/policy outlining agreed targets for tree density for new developments
• encouraging the protection of existing significant or larger trees on private property
• advocating for desilting, rectification, and enhancement of Newell's Paddock.