Welcome to the Water Sensitive Urban
Design
Strategy for Darwin Harbour
Please note, the new Darwin Harbour WSUD strategy website is now available.
These pages will continue to be maintained for a short period during the changeover to the new site.
Darwin Harbour is a unique natural resource,
and provides significant community and environmental
values. The Harbour is also the ultimate
receiving environment for all stormwater
and wastewater discharge from Darwin and
Palmerston urban areas. Recent research
has identified that although the harbour
is considered to be in a near pristine condition
with good water quality, the impacts of
urban stormwater runoff and wastewater discharges
are evident. As new development occurs in
the region, there is potential for increasing
impacts on the Harbour.
Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) is a
new approach to development, that takes
an holistic approach to the planning and
design of urban development that aims to
minimise impacts on the natural water cycle
and protect the health of aquatic ecosystems.
The Water Sensitive
Urban Design Strategy for Darwin Harbour
is a joint project between the Department
of Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) and
the Department of Natural Resources, Environment
and the Arts (NRETA), supported by funding
from the Commonwealth Coastal Catchments
Initiative (CCI). It will provide policy,
tools and resources to ensure that urban
development in the Darwin region is underpinned
by a commitment to sustainable urban water
cycle and stormwater management.
