Optimising our drainage assets

Randwick City Council is responsible for managing a stormwater drainage network to capture and direct stormwater runoff through the Randwick City local government catchment.

About Randwick City's drainage network

We aim to manage the drainage network in a responsible manner and direct stormwater away from properties.

The majority of Council's drainage network was built in the 1950s and 1960s and is ageing. Urban development in the late twentieth century and the creation of more hard surfaces has put increasing pressure on the drainage network to carry more stormwater during heavy rain.

Council's drainage network is designed to cater for most rainfall, but extreme, heavy rain may exceed the network's capacity for short periods of time.

Drainage Management Plan

Each year Council allocates funds to undertake drainage investigation, repairs and upgrade work. Council uses a disciplined approach to managing drainage as part of its Drainage Asset Management Plan (pdf 992KB).

Council undertakes a variety of work to its drainage infrastructure, including clearing of pits and pipes, reconstruction or relining of old or dilapidated pipes and pits and constructing new drainage infrastructure to increase capacity.

Other drainage infrastructure, generally consisting of large trunk lines and associated pits, is controlled by Sydney Water.

Maintaining extensive drainage infrastructure

Randwick City Council is responsible for managing 261,097 metres of drainage pipe, 10,120 drainage pits and 17 Stormwater Quality Improvement Devices.

Council captures, treats and reuses stormwater at a number of collection points such as Coogee Beach, Clovelly Beach and Malabar for irrigation of parks and open spaces.

These projects are funded as part of Council's Sustaining our City Environmental Levy which has been in place since 2004.

Stormwater reuse and diversion

By reusing stormwater Council is able to save money on water costs, irrigate parks more frequently and reduce pollutants from entering local beaches and waterways. Find out more about our stormwater reuse program.

In 2013, Randwick City Council and Sydney Water completed a joint project to divert a stormwater outfall away from Malabar Beach.

This project resulted in an improvement in the water quality at the Beach and in 2013 the State Government's Beachwatch Report rated the water quality as 'good' for the first time.