Geared to stormwater management Optimal continues to advocate strongly for the Industry and has made a huge contribution to the development of the Stormwater Quality Improvement Device (SQID) Operation and Maintenance Guidelines due to release in 2020. The SQID O&M Guide is designed for operations managers and staff to better understand the requirements for operation and cleaning of SQIDs and soft engineering devices.

Murray has worked tirelessly for the advancement and success of the association and today the association is realising the benefits of his and many others efforts advocating, promoting and guiding the stormwater industry. The industry is enjoying much attention as the focus moved from protection of property and people to capitalising on the sustainability benefits through stormwater harvesting, passive irrigation and delivery of eco system services.

Ben Wolfgramm has also participate strongly in the industry as a committee member and guiding business planning, advocacy and capacity building trough delivery of technical tours and other events. Hugh Williamson, Guys Amos and other Optimal team members are also supporting the industry through technical reviews, submission of papers and awards.

Optimal will continue to support and advocate for the stormwater industry. If you are not a member we encourage you to join. If you would like to know more feel free to contact either Murray or Ben on 02 9417 8369 or receive a member portfolio from the Stormwater Industry NSW website http://www.siansw.info/

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Industry Awards

Optimal have celebrated winning numerous industry awards over the years. Here's a few highlights.

2018 National Stormwater Awards Asset Management – Highly Commended

Highly commended for the renewal of city of Casey water sensitive urban design assets and gross pollutant traps.

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2016 Stormwater Australia National Award For Excellence in Asset Management

2016 Stormwater Australia National Awards Excellence in Asset Management – Highly Commended

Highly commended – 2016 national award for excellence in asset management.
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Bankstown Council, Optimal Stormwater & Bell Environmental win 2015 Stormwater NSW Award of Excellence in Asset Management

Optimal Stormwater has won our 3rd award for Excellence in Asset Management. Stormwater NSW (the Stormwater Industry Association for NSW), had its Annual Awards night at the recent WSUD 2015 Conference.

Bankstown City Council has been awarded the Stormwater NSW Award for Excellence in Asset Management based on the work completed for them by Optimal Stormwater and Bell Environmental.

Optimal Stormwater undertook an entire Council GPT audit and provided detailed cleaning information to Bankstown Council for their cleaning tender. By providing critical information about all the GPTs such as pollution volume, cleaning frequency, de-watering locations, traffic management details, access keys, machinery required; cleaning companies no longer have to guess about items or inflate prices for contingencies.

As a consequence, Council released the most fair and comprehensive GPT tender and received the best prices they have ever received for the cleaning of their GPTs.

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Hume Council, Optimal Stormwater and Stormy Water Solutions win 2015 Stormwater Victoria Award of Excellence in Asset Management

Optimal Stormwater won our 2nd industry award at the 2015 Stormwater Industry Association for Victoria. Optimal Stormwater submitted for Excellence in Asset Management with Hume City Council for Excellence in Asset Management based on collaborative effort with Optimal Stormwater and Stormy Water Solutions.

Optimal Stormwater undertook a comprehensive WSUD audit for Hume Council followed by Council GPTs. This provided a clear picture on how their stormwater treatment assets were performing. Some excellent outcomes included identifying cost effective upgrade of existing assets, as well as some that just needed maintenance.

Another positive outcomes was the capacity building and ownership of the ongoing maintenance that resulted. Works on the ground have commenced with WSUD rectification designs by Optimal Stormwater and construction completed by Indigenous Design contributing to the success story.

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Industry Activities

Optimal are involved in many activities which promote and support the industry. Here is just a few.

State Conference

2019 Stormwater NSW State Conference – Coffs Harbour

Optimal made a huge contribution to the 2019 State Conference in Coffs Harbour.
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Technical Tours

2018 National Conference Technical Tour

Innaco/ Optimal Stormwaters team supported the technical tour with the viewing of Kur-ring-gai Councils 300KL/day Sewer Mining Project Turramurra Golf Course.
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Technical Tours

2016 National Stormwater Conference Technical Tour Gold Coast

Optimal’s team support at the 2016 National Technical Tour on the Gold Coast Australia.
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Technical Tours

March 2015 WSUD What’s Hot What’s Not Technical Tour

WSUD Fantasy versus Stormwater Reality – What are the Benefits of Auditing? Ben Wolfgramm took 50 industry delegates made up engineers, scientist, asset manager and landscape designers on a tour of wsud assets in Sydney.

Ben Wolfgramm took 50 industry delegates made up engineers, scientist, asset manager and landscape designers on a tour of wsud assets in Sydney.

Tour Sites Include:

Raingardens at Baptist St, Boronia St and Telopea St – Redfern

Presenters include Paul Tatham (City of Sydney), David Beharrell (Hornsby Council), Dr Mick Battam (AgEnviro), Hugh Williamson (Optimal Stormwater) and Ben Wolfgramm (Stormwater Nsw).

The City of Sydney shared the progression of knowledge, experience and learning, as the City has, as they continue to build capacity from within. A panel of experts was assembled at each site to discuss critical aspect of these systems and demonstrate how auditing can be carried out.

Hydrocon Filter SJ Harrison Reserve – Earlwood

Presenters include Nell Graham (Canterbury Council), Phillip Birtles (Sydney Water), Aaron Cortese (Ecosol) and Ben Wolfgramm (Stormwater NSW).

This City of Canterbury project was funded by the Cook River Water Urban Water Initiative (CRUWI) and which was led by Sydney Metro CMA. The project aimed to explore the benefits of structural treatment and draw comparisons with softer techniques, such as biofiltration. The project includes primary treatment (GPT) and Hydrocon porous pipe technologies, which exfiltrate flows into a subsurface media and drainage layer to provide additional filtration.

Johnstone St Biofilter – Earlwood

Presenters include Nell Graham (Canterbury Council), Phillip Birtles (Sydney Water), David Brennan (Toolijooa), Rob Laird (Toolijooa), Dr Mick Battam (AgEnviro) and Damian McCann (AWC Consulting).

The design brief was robust and funding locked in. The bush setting was unique. The biofilter was to treat a small urban catchment in Earlwood. The project was built in 2012. What’s happened since and how is this performing? Was biofiltration the best fit for this project and what improvements could be made in relation to siting, sizing, deployment and maintenance?

Cup & Saucer Wetlands – Earlwood/Canterbury

Presenters include Phillip Birtles (Sydney Water), Daniel Cunningham (Sydney Water), Nell Graham (Canterbury Council), David Brennan (Toolijooa), Rob Laird (Toolijooa) and Damian McCann (AWC Consulting).

CS Wetland was designed to capture sediment and remove pollutants, such as, nitrogen and phosphorus from the waterway. Flows to the wetland are screened for gross pollutants, enters the wetland sediment zone, then flows through a series of pools where the plants and bacteria remove pollutants, before it re-enters the creek and the Cooks River. Sounds great… in theory!

Sydney Water and Canterbury City explained the background, design and maintenance required to operate this ecological asset.

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Training

Stormwater Harvesting Training 2009

In September/October 2009, the Stormwater Industry Association of NSW ran five training course for Council staff, called ‘Stormwater Harvesting for Local Councils’ Covering All The Bases’. There were 3 expert presenters including two from Optimal Stormwater.

Technical Tours

March 2016 WSUD What’s Hot What’s Not Technical Tour Stormwater NSW Technical Tour Explores the Central Coast.

Ben Wolfgramm coordinated and delivered this highly acclaimed tour supported by Lake Macquarie team Brent Wellham, Drainage and Natural Areas Coordinator, Peter Teerman, Assets Drainage Team, Don Cooper, Senior Project Officer Subdivision Compliance, Murray Powell, Managing Director, Optimal Stormwater and Sam Budden of now Central Coast Council.

The tour sites included

  • 90 Alton Road, Bio-Infiltration Basins, Cooranbong
  • Watagan Park Johnson Property Group Sub Division, Cooranbong
  • Aquilo Residential Development, Bio-detention, Bonnells Bay (Hosted by Lake Macquarie City Council)
  • San Remo Trashrack Upgrade, Budgewoi

Delegates enjoyed interaction with presenters, close encounters with WSUD and heard challenges, problem solving and highlights throughout the day. We encourage you to join the next tour!

Watagan Park Johnson Property Group Sub Division, Cooranbong

San Remo Trashrack Upgrade, Budgewoi

Aquilo Residential Development, Bio-detention, Bonnells Bay

Alton Road, Bio-Infiltration Basins, Cooranbong

 

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Conference Papers & Resources

Optimal team members support the industry through participation, technical reviews, submission of papers and awards. Contact our authors to learn more about this fascinating subjects.

Robert Griffith – Green Roof for Stormwater Management

Robert Griffith – Green Roof for Stormwater Management – 2019 Stormwater NSW Conference

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Russell Cadman – Private On-Lot WSUD & OSD Success or Failure

Russell Cadman – Private On-Lot WSUD & OSD Success or Failure – 2019 Stormwater NSW Conference

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Phil Li – PCD Upgrade for 200 ha Urban Catchment

Phil Li – PCD Upgrade for 200 ha Urban Catchment – 2019 Stormwater NSW Conference

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Phil Li – Urban Wetland and Stormwater Harvesting

Phil Li – Urban Wetland and Stormwater Harvesting – 2019 Stormwater NSW Conference

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Hugh Williamson – SQID for Pollution Hot Spots

Hugh Williamson – SQID for Pollution Hot Spots – 2019 Stormwater NSW Conference

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Murray Powell – Upgrade Your GPT To Match Your Dreams

Murray Powell – Upgrade Your GPT To Match Your Dreams – 2019 Stormwater NSW Conference

Murray Powell – Upgrade Your GPT To Match Your Dreams – 2019 Stormwater NSW Conference

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Dr Martijn Kuller – SSANTO: A Spatial Tool to Aid WSUD Placement

Dr Martijn Kuller – SSANTO: A Spatial Tool to Aid WSUD Placement – 2019 Stormwater NSW Conference
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Stormwater Conference 2016 Optimal Papers – Abstracts

PAPER 1: Optimisation and Operation of 20 stormwater harvesting projects for City of Sydney-2016

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PAPER 2: Penrith Gross Pollution Trap Auditing Paper 2016 Rev2

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PAPER 3: Bang for your Buck Rectification Paper 2

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PAPER 4: VIC vs NSW baseflow harvesting Paper 2016

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PAPER 5: Maintenance of Stormwater Control Devices 2016

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WSUD

WSUD_Information_sheet_4

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WSUD-Maintenance-Inspection-and-maintenance-activity-guidelines

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WSUD-Life Cycle Costing

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WSUD-CSIRO Chapter 14

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South-Eastern-councils-WSUD-guidelines

South Eastern Councils WSUD Guidelines

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Melbourne Water Selecting Litter Traps

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EPHC Stormwater_Harvesting_Guidelines

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DEC Stormwater Recycling-case studies NSW

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DEC Harvesting and reuse of stormwater NSW

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ARQ chapter 8 on GPTs