Melbourne Water and Junior Landcare help schools to improve local rivers and creeks

10 schools and youth groups in the Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment have been awarded grants of up to $5,000 to build raingardens to improve the health of rivers and creeks in their school communities.

The Melbourne Water Raingardens grants program with Junior Landcare aims to raise awareness of how good management of stormwater contributes to healthy waterways. It promotes simple ways people can improve stormwater quality at school and at home – like building a raingarden.

Raingardens receive stormwater from hard surfaces such as a downpipe from a roof, paved areas or driveways, slowing the rate of stormwater before it flows into drains and on to rivers, creeks and bays. In public spaces such as streets, parks and schools, raingardens also filter out litter, oil, excess nutrients, chemicals and sediment that normally build up on hard surfaces such as roads, car parks, roofs and driveways.

Melbourne Water’s General Manager of Waterways, Chris Chesterfield, said stormwater runoff from suburban streets was the main polluter of rivers, creeks and bays because of what it picks up and carries into waterways.

“Stormwater runoff can carry pollutants ranging from nitrogen that causes algal blooms, to motor oil and animal droppings that can affect the health of fish and platypus,” said Mr Chesterfield. “Raingardens are a great way to reduce the impact we have on our waterways, and they also make an attractive and water-efficient feature to the landscape.”

Grant Recipients

St Macartans Parish Primary School

Selby PS

Ascot Vale West Primary School

McClelland College

Blackburn Lake Primary School

Tooradin PS

Sunbury PS

Lang Lang PS

Sandringham PS

Laburnum PS

For more information about Junior Landcare grants visit www.landcareonline.com.au

For more information about raingardens, including frequently asked questions and simple instructions on how to build raingardens visit www.melbournewater.com.au/raingardens