Urban Water
Stewardship
Townsville's urban water is managed by our local council, in collaboration with experts and specialists.
Our towns and developments affect waterways
in ways that are actively managed.
Stormwater runoff, sediment runoff from building sites, household sewage, and sewer pipe leaks are all examples of ‘urban water’ that has an impact on our local waterways, and ultimately, the Great Barrier Reef.
The Urban Water Stewardship Framework is a tool developed by the Queensland Department of Environment, Science, and Innovation (DESI) as part of the Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan.​
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The Framework supports councils, and the development and construction industry located in Reef catchments, to evaluate their urban water management practices and identify opportunities for improvement.
How does Townsville City Council score?
In 2023 Townsville City Council received a ‘B — Achieving Best Practice’ score for its urban water management practices against the independent framework.
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This represents a commendable improvement since the last review in 2021, which saw Council receive a ‘C: Achieving Current Minimum Standard’.
Improvements have been seen mostly in the area of ‘Developing Urban’ water — managing pollutants from construction and development. Council also scores an ‘A: Above Best Practice’ for its collaboration with industry and community regarding ‘Established Urban’ water — the management of pollutants from established urban areas.​​​
​​Why is the Urban Water Stewardship Framework important?
While the amount of nutrients and sediment entering the Great Barrier Reef from urban areas is relatively small compared to runoff from agricultural land, it may represent a significant impact locally if not managed effectively, especially in densely populated areas.
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Assessing the effectiveness of land use management in urban areas within the Great Barrier Reef catchments, helps generate collaboration between councils and land developers in terms of how they can work together towards better water quality outcomes.
How does it work?
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Data is collected on each council in Reef report card regions through a series of workshops. The Healthy Waterways Partnership facilitates independent workshops in the Townsville Dry Tropics region for Townsville City Council.
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Workshops are attended by experts in land use planning, compliance, catchment management, development approval, civil engineering, asset management and wastewater treatment. At each workshop, personnel from council provide information and cite evidence on their practices and activities as they relate to three main areas:
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Developing Urban: erosion and sediment control during the construction phase.
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Established Urban: stormwater infrastructure in already developed areas.
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Point Source: operation and management of wastewater treatment facilities and linked sewer networks.
Initial ratings for each component are discussed as a group until consensus is reached, with both the initial and final ratings recorded.
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The next round of Urban Water Stewardship Framework workshops will be undertaken in 2025.
Urban water projects in flight
