Melton City Council (MCC) is experiencing rapid growth with a population growth rate of 6.6 per cent in recent years and the population forecast to almost double to over the next two decades. While the growth represents an exciting phase for Council, it has also brought some challenges.
MCC has worked collaboratively with the land development industry and allowed use of temporary stormwater solutions until ultimate regional assets can be built, due to out of sequence developments. Non-conventional solutions such as evaporation and infiltration basins, surcharge pits, irrigation to farmland, and pump discharge have been evaluated and accepted.
There are currently more than 50 temporary Retarding Basins. To mitigate flooding risk to downstream communities, assessment and evaluation criteria of these temporary assets has evolved over the time. From a compliance perspective, relevant conditions have been added in Planning Permits and from an engineering assessment perspective it has been mandated that a risk and consequences assessment report is prepared to accompany design submissions. A Guideline document on Temporary Retarding Basins is being developed to provide the land development industry with knowledge on how to meet optimal stormwater management outcomes and provide consistency across the industry.