With the growth of major housing developments in Victoria, liveability has come sharply into focus. But what makes a new residential community truly liveable? Creating better places to live means thinking beyond the homes themselves — or, in this case, beneath them. It means considering the infrastructure, public spaces and environmental systems that support communities from the ground up.
Stormwater management is one part of the bigger picture. So, what does that look like in practice? Here’s how we approached it at a new 50-home development in Colac, Victoria.
The Challenge
Supporting the new development required a stormwater management system capable of providing multiple stages of treatment while also accommodating significant on-site detention. The project called for an integrated approach where each component could perform a distinct role as runoff moved through the system.
Three Technologies, One Treatment Train
Ocean Protect supplied a treatment train incorporating a Cascade Separator®, a 160kL UrbanPond™ on-site detention (OSD) tank, and seven units of StormFilter® 690 cartridges.
Stormwater runoff first enters an upstream Cascade Separator®, where hydrodynamic separation is used to capture sediment while also removing hydrocarbons, trash and debris.
Following this, runoff moves into the UrbanPond™, which provides a Class D trafficable OSD solution. The seven StormFilter® cartridges — due to be installed over the next few months — will complete the system with tertiary filtration from within the OSD tank itself.
Quick Installation and Easy Maintenance
Beyond treatment performance, practicality was a major consideration — both during the installation and throughout the operational life of the system.
The modular precast design of the UrbanPond™ enabled it to come together quickly on site. With the base correctly prepared, individual components were positioned and connected at an average of approximately 10 minutes per piece.
Long-term, both the Cascade Separator® and StormFilter® cartridges are designed for straightforward maintenance, especially with the latter’s easy-to-renew, media-filled cartridges. This helps maximise the value for money and service life of the installed infrastructure.
Want to see what StormFilter® maintenance looks like? Read NPSorb Media: Improving Treatment Performance Without Extra Infrastructure to see how an existing system was cleaned and upgraded with renewed filter media.
The Ocean Protect Difference
Just as we did on this project, your Ocean Protect project manager works alongside the on-site crew throughout the installation. From coordinating deliveries to checking the smaller details, they manage it all on-site from the moment the first trucks arrive (no matter how bright and early). For us, supporting our clients and the crew installing our technology is just as important as supplying it.
Designed with both treatment performance and longevity in mind, the stormwater infrastructure on this project will support the community for years to come. Because liveability starts with the systems that keep communities thriving.
If you’d like to work with us on your project or discuss how we can create a custom solution for you, please get in touch with us via enquiries@oceanprotect.com.au.