For WSUD Asset Managers
Asset Handover - Construction and Inspection Sign off forms:
The proper construction and establishment of vegetated stormwater systems is essential to ongoing performance and life cycle costs. To reduce the chance that your council inherits poorly designed, constructed or established assets, reference and use these tools.
Guidance developed by the Water by Design Program of Healthy Waterways (in South East Queensland) contains sample asset sign off forms that can be used for Vegetated Stormwater Systems such as constructed wetlands, swales, and bioretention systems. These sample forms set out key requirements from the guidance in a ready-to-use format.
The forms are linked to step-wise guidance across the construction and establishment of these systems (pictured, right). To assist with those undertaking asset inspections during the warranty period, hold points are identified and photos are included to illustrate the desired features that may underpin properr asset performance into the future.
Find out more about the Construction and Establishment of Vegetated Stormwater System Guidelines.
Asset Maintenance:
A number of WSUD Technical and Engineering Guidelines now contain Asset inspection and maintenance checklists and sample forms.
For example, in NSW, Landcom has released free, draft WSUD maintenance guidance that includes sample checklists for construction and inspection of bioretenion systems, constructed wetlands and sedimentation basins or ponds (pictured right).
Regular Maintenance Checklists are also available for all of these device types.
Find our more about Landcom's WSUD Maintenance Booklet.
Whole of Life Cycle Costs
A lack of Life cycle costing data is a well recognised barrier to WSUD implementation and effective ongoing management of WSUD assets.
The eWater CRC have developed a 'life cycle costing module' as part of its MUSIC modelling tool. This model however relies on a limited set of data. To help address this gap, the makers of MUSIC provide a standard template to collect life cycle costing data sheet for WSUD assets.
The Life Cycle Costing sheet is consistent with the intent and terminology of the Australian and New Zealand Standard for Life Cycle Costing AS/NZS 4536:1999. It breaks down costs across acquisition, installation, operation and maintenance, renewal and refurbishment, disposal and decommissioning.
The authors hope that stormwater managers will use this form to provide quality data on the ‘real’ costs of stormwater treatment measures – particularly ‘best practice’ measures. It also allows for better integration into research and predictive tools such as the LifeCycle Costing Module with MUSIC modelling software.
The 'LCCDataSheet' can be downloaded from eWater's 'documentation page' for MUSIC modelling: http://toolkit.ewater.com.au/Tools/MUSIC/documentation.
A basic introduction to MUSIC modelling is available from urbanwater.info.