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What is water sensitive urban design?

Urban landscapes are largely covered by hard surfaces, such as roads and footpaths, that are impervious to water. This means that rainfall and surface runoff (from hoses, sprinklers, etc) has less opportunity to infiltrate soils, like what would occur in a natural environment.

Stormwater is the excess runoff in these urban landscapes, which is drained directly from hard surfaces into our waterways. It often carries untreated urban pollutants, such as oil, fertilisers and litter.

All of this, together with the timing and volume of stormwater runoff, can create harmful conditions for our aquatic environments.

Spotting the benefits

The challenge lies in how urban communities can benefit from this. Urban residents have a suggested daily water use target of 150 litres. They are further encouraged to use water wisely through state-wide permanent water saving rules. We can all play our role too, by remembering water is a precious and limited resource.

We can protect our waterways, improve water security and manage flood risk by reducing the amount of excess stormwater runoff. This integrated approach to urban planning that manages the quantity and quality of water within urban environments is known as water sensitive urban design (WSUD). It is a component of Integrated Water Management.

Capturing stormwater runoff improves our water security by utilising sustainable sources of water where high quality water is not required. For example, stormwater can be captured and used for watering sports fields, parkland and public gardens.

The use of stormwater to maintain plant-life in cities can also improve liveability. This is because greenery assists in urban cooling and reduces the ‘heat island’ effect.

Urban greenery also encourages biodiversity by attracting birds, insects and reptiles.

WSUD covers a range of features that can facilitate the harvesting and use of stormwater. It involves designing urban landscapes in such a way that allows stormwater to be naturally filtered by vegetation, gravel or sand, and possibly reused.

Some strategies that improve a city’s climate resistance include:

  • raingardens
  • rooftop gardens or green roofs
  • swales and infiltration trenches
  • raised boardwalks
  • porous pathways
  • rainwater tanks.

Case study

Fishermans Bend is developing into Australia’s largest water sensitive city. It uses these urban design strategies to reduce stormwater pollution and boost the urban ecology. This video explains how.

Watch the video

Fishermans Bend Water Sensitive City Strategy Animation (6 min 2 sec)

Meet the expert

Todd Berry of the Department of Transport and Planning discusses Water Sensitive Urban Design, his role on the Fishermans Bend Task Force, and how returning to studies led to a career working in water and sustainability.

Source: DEECA
View transcript

Photo essay

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A raingarden with trees, flowers and grasses collects rainfall and reduces the volume of stormwater while also providing for a more liveable city. Image credit: Department of Transport and Planning

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Rooftops would typically be impervious to water, but this rooftop garden allows for the capture of rain to be recycled as well to assist in plant growth. Solar panels also produce renewable energy. Image credit: Department of Transport and Planning

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Some new buildings are designed in a way that are sensitive to water needs. This building uses external wall-gardens that are watered by rainfall and also assist with urban cooling. Image credit: Department of Transport and Planning

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Guildford Lane in the Melbourne CBD is an example of a green laneway. Its extensive use of pot hanging gardens and planter boxes assists to reduce stormwater, aid urban cooling and beautify the city. See more at the City of Melbourne website: https://participate.melbourne.vic.gov.au/greenlaneways/guildford Image credit: City of Melbourne

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Meyers Place in the Melbourne CBD is an example of a green laneway. Its extensive use of pot hanging gardens and planter boxes assists to reduce stormwater, aid urban cooling and beautify the city. See more at the City of Melbourne website: https://participate.melbourne.vic.gov.au/greenlaneways/meyers Image credit: City of Melbourne

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Construction of the Alma Park Stormwater Harvesting Scheme (in St Kilda) was completed in 2019. It can can deliver up to 18 million litres of water for use in Alma Park. Schemes like these provide significant reductions to water consumption and also provide resilience in times of dry conditions. Image credit: City of Port Phillip

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This infiltration trench in Footscray allows for greener cities while saving water and reducing stormwater. This infrastructure can be designed to more seamlessly integrate into its surroundings or offer unique designs. Image credit: DEECA and Colin Page

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This graphic cross-section of Burston Reserve in the Melbourne CBD, which is an example of Water Sensitive Urban Design. In this instance, a tree is be planted within geotextile linings and watered by stormwater that infiltrates the ground through holes in bluestone kerb. This aids in water saving, reducing stormwater and providing shade for visitors. Image credit: City of Melbourne

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This graphic demonstrates the difference of how water travels between forested and urban landscapes. Image credit: Melbourne Water

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This graphic cross-section of a raingarden demonstrates the various layers of soil, and rock that water travels through before reaching a collection pipe to then be become treated stormwater. Image credit: Melbourne Water

Further resources

Below you can find a variety of resources to further research and understand water sensitive urban design.

Videos

Discover what Victoria's water corporations are saying about Water Sensitive Urban Design.

Reports

Report: South Eastern Councils Water Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines (Melbourne Water)

Videos

Page last updated: 12/08/25