Sediment Solutions

Be Part of the Solution – Do the right thing by our rivers and comply with sediment control environmental regulations sediment. Everyone has a role to play.

How can you take action to prevent sediment pollution?

Residents can make a difference by:

1. Remembering that the drain is just for rain;
2. Avoiding littering (including covering trailer loads), reducing fertiliser use and preventing gardening waste and lawn clippings from entering roads;
3. Sweeping or blowing (via blower-vacs) sediment and lawn clippings back onto the verge or garden, or disposing of collected sediment and lawn clippings into a bin or composting device;
4. Preventing soil erosion on your property. For example, retain soil cover by mulching and covering exposed soil; and
5. Planting native vegetation along waterways.

The Building Industry can make a difference by:

1. Limiting excavation and maintain exiting vegetation on building sites;
2. Preparing and implementing a Site Management Plan and/or Erosion and Sediment Control Plan
3. Containing all sand and cement on the site (e.g. locate sand stockpiles away from the road/stormwater drains or deliver and store sand in bags; locate cement wash down site away from the road/stormwater drains);
4. Washing down site away from the road/stormwater drains);
5. In situations where run off may occur, installing a sediment control system between the site and the street;
6. Cleaning up any sediment that reaches the street;
7. Keeping sand deliveries well inside the site and away from the road. If a delivery is on the verge make sure the road is protected with a sediment fence or the sand is delivered in a bag;
8. Educating site workers not to wash out wheelbarrows, clean tools, or wash down concrete trucks or pumps adjacent to stormwater drains. Keep the washdown on site;
9. Creating all‐weather gravel/crushed rock access to the site;
10. Managing rainfall run‐off on site; and
11. Educating and allocating responsibility for soils getting onto the roads.

Local Governments can make a difference by:

1. Issuing sediment control advice with building approvals;
2. Including sediment control in compliance action;
3. Including planning approval conditions or advice notes requiring developers and builders to control, mitigate and regularly sweep sediment drifts;
4. Managing public works to ensure best practice sediment control; and
5. Enacting local laws to provide for enforcement methods.

Government Agencies constructing public works, such as roads and railways and water management infrastructure can make a difference by:

1. Developing and implementing policies, guidelines and procedures for erosion and sediment control;
2. Conducting training for operational staff and contractors for effective erosion and sediment control;
3. Preparing and implementing a Site Management Plan and/or Erosion and Sediment Control Plan
4. Managing public works sites to ensure best practice sediment control;
5. Auditing compliance with policies, guidelines and procedures; and
6. Preparing guidelines for preventing mosquito breeding associated with construction practices near wetlands, marshlands and other waterways.

“We cannot operate in isolation when our impacts are not isolated – sediment has far-reaching and significant impacts that require cooperation, sharing and support to mitigate.” Shane Collins, Environmental Officer, Main Roads Western Australia 2018

*Header photo credit: A sediment fence installed around a new home site to improve sediment capture. Image courtesy of Healthy Land and Water’s Water by Design Program.