The Tasmanian Stormwater Symposium (November 2024)

When rain falls on a city or town, it is quickly drained away through carefully placed pipes and pits. But where does the water end up? If you paid attention to an old, wise fish in Finding Nemo, you’ll remember that “all drains lead to the ocean.” But what happens to the pollutants that the rainwater, aka stormwater, picks up along the way? Unfortunately, they often end up in the ocean too. We have devices that filter pollutants from stormwater, and they are a frequent fixture of urban areas, however, these devices are seldom emptied or maintained properly and often become useless.

The Tasmanian Stormwater Symposium, held in Hobart in November, aimed to discuss this issue and more. Local and interstate presenters raised issues around financing ongoing stormwater treatment device maintenance, increasing awareness of stormwater treatment, highlighting gaps in current practices and future planning for climate change. CSIRO’s Dr Denise Hardesty presented on the consequences of not collecting pollutants, such as litter, and the pressure it places on our marine environments. One of CSIRO’s industry PhD students, Justine Barrett, presented her research about key focus areas to improve current practices of maintaining stormwater treatment assets.

The Stormwater Symposium brought together industry representatives from a range of backgrounds including local and state government representatives. One of the major outcomes of the meeting was the establishment of state-wide collaborative working groups to address the challenges of managing stormwater to mitigate both environmental and flood risks. It was an inspiring day with connections and partnerships built, and a great reminder of the value and need for face-to-face interactions – well done to the folks from across the state who made the effort to join here in Hobart for a stimulating day!