Stormwater and rainwater harvesting

Stormwater harvesting systems collect stormwater, clean it and store for irrigation and other purposes.

Water is diverted from stormwater drains. The mode by which water is collected and stored varies greatly from project to project.

The City of Melbourne usually builds stormwater harvesting systems to use water that would otherwise wash down the drain. However, we are currently planning a stormwater harvesting system in Carlton that will also reduce flood risk.

Rainwater harvesting is similar to stormwater harvesting, except that the water is collected from rooftops rather than from drains and roadways.

Rainwater is generally less polluted than stormwater, so cleaning is not always required for rainwater collection systems. It depends on what the collected water will be used for.