SA Water Capital Delivery Program, Adelaide, Australia
Aurecon and KBR provide program management, procurement support, sustaining capital and construction management services to South Australia Water.
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Working with SA Water, Aurecon took a proactive approach in the SA Water Capital Delivery Program to explore integrated water management solutions to support greening Port Pirie.
Together, they proposed a series of innovative greening initiatives to support improved liveability and health outcomes in Port Pirie, reducing the amount of air borne lead dust through greening. The solutions comprised specialised water sensitive urban design techniques coupled with climate resilient species selection.
These greening initiatives enable more efficient stormwater use, through maximising its passive use in the plants’ root zone to support growth and diverting the water from entering the saline wetland, where it becomes unsuitable for reuse. This application of sub-surface irrigation maximises even the smallest rainfall of a few millimetres into a form that can be used to water the landscaping.
In addition to supporting greening that will improve community health by abating lead borne dust, the initiatives, when implemented, will elevate social interaction by encouraging people to walk instead of drive, improving physical and mental wellbeing. The South Australian government is funding the creation of a greener Port Pirie as a result of the greening initiatives proposal developed in collaboration between SA Water and Aurecon.
The Greening Port Pirie initiatives have multiple benefits for society and the environment, not least of which is reducing air borne lead dust as well as making external spaces more usable all year around. Increasing the town’s tree canopy cover and lower level planting, supported by capturing and reusing stormwater, helps to reduce dust movements and create greener, more vibrant and visually attractive spaces.
The approach is to consider a range of measures, which create a layer of practical initiatives including:
One significant benefit of integrated water sensitive urban design solutions is passive sub-surface irrigation to maximise rainfall to the root zone to irrigate trees and gardens, therefore reducing the volume of stormwater leaving the streetscape. This application of water to the root zone supports tree growth, canopy thickness and the associated transportation cooling to help alleviate heat island effects.
Climate resilient species are then planted in varying forms and heights that shade each other to reduce evaporation, which reduce stress during heatwaves and cover bare ground, thereby reducing dust.
By directing stormwater runoff to the irrigation of vegetation and trees, the sustainable management of urban water resources and environmental protection is achieved.
These factors represent the circular economy by better aligning the human water cycle with the natural water cycle.
Easements, together with local government allotments, and available spaces, can be connected to existing streets and open spaces, creating a green web that encourages active transport connections, as well as enhanced greening to residential areas.
Located between the edge of the Flinders Ranges and coast, Port Pirie's unique landscape and context is an opportunity to reflect in the town's streets and parks, creating a greener Port Pirie, which will be valued and enjoyed by generations to come.
Allocation of the government funding is now being provided for native tree planting and wetland upgrades, greening of vacant government land, vegetation in road verges and high pedestrian use corridors, providing subsidised plants to the community. The greening initiatives supports the broader master plan proposed for Port Pirie.
The Greening Port Pirie initiative was awarded the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects’ SA Landscape Architecture Award for Landscape Planning in 2022.
Aurecon and KBR provide program management, procurement support, sustaining capital and construction management services to South Australia Water.
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