The fund builds on the Stormwater and Urban Water Conservation Fund launched in 2004, which funded 68 projects that demonstrate innovative approaches to saving drinking water.

The Victorian Government provides funding of up to $1 million on a 1:1 contribution for demonstration projects that provide a lead in the management of localised stormwater and urban recycling.

The funding will help with:

• sharing the risk of adopting a new approach
• the extra costs of design associated with being the first project of its type
• the extra costs of working with new regulatory processes that may not have been used previously
• the costs of promoting the project to similar organisations.

Objectives

The fund aims to:

• reduce demand on drinking water for uses other than drinking
• support the use of water that is fit-for-purpose while protecting public health and the environment
• significantly improve the integrated management of water resources.

Round 2

Round 2 will focus on supporting projects in the following areas:

• Buildings of the future – innovation in housing design and construction to integrate efficient water use, stormwater capture and water reuse.
• Precincts of the future – innovation at a precinct or neighbourhood scale that restores natural hydrology to use stormwater for maintaining public open space, parks and gardens.
• Community engagement – facilitating cultural and behavioural changes that reshape urban hydrology. For example, involving the community in establishing and managing kerbside raingardens to treat road runoff and enhance roadside environments.
• Institutional development – facilitating relationships within and between organisations to integrate programs and objectives for better community outcomes. For example, combining flood mitigation, urban development planning, recreational and amenity planning with urban biodiversity conservation.