Stormwater is the runoff that comes from rainfall in urban areas. This includes rain on your rooftop and water that travels from roads and footpaths into stormwater drains.
Water from your rooftop can be stored in a water tank or flow from your gutters into the stormwater drain on the street. This water then travels through pipes to local waterways, or sometimes directly into the sea.
Unlike water that’s piped to our homes or wastewater, stormwater is often not treated. This means it can carry pollutants like car oil and litter into waterways and the sea.
Our drainage systems are normally designed to carry stormwater away as quickly as possible. This reduces local flooding when it rains. Without proper design it can lead to flash flooding events and is what often leads to urban flooding.
Using water sensitive design in cities and towns can reduce the damage that stormwater does to the environment. Water sensitive design can treat stormwater to remove pollutants, mimic the natural water cycle and capture stormwater for reuse. Reusing stormwater conserves valuable drinking water.
Some examples of what helps stormwater and drainage include:
In urban areas, stormwater can be a valuable water source for wetlands so they don’t dry out. Like all waterways, it is also important they don’t get polluted.
To help keep waterways clean and healthy you should put your rubbish in a bin and pick up after your pets. At home, washing cars on the lawn rather than in the driveway means soapy water can soak into the ground, rather than running down the drain.
Wetlands like the Edithvale-Seaford wetlands in Melbourne’s south can act as natural drains for stormwater runoff. This series of videos, including the Drainage Story of the Wetlands from Melbourne Water explain their story including the impact of drainage.
Drainage story of the Edithvale and Seaford wetlands (2 min 43 sec)
Emily Plymin is a Senior Policy Officer in the Stormwater Policy team at the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA). Here she discusses how stormwater and its infrastructure affects us every day and ways these change cities and your own home.
Below you can find a variety of resources to further research and understand stormwater and drainage in Victoria.
Diverse water sources – we require these to ensure safe, reliable, affordable water supplies in a drying climate.
Grass is greener thanks to stormwater harvesting – keeping local sports grounds green year-round.
Improving stormwater management – for better and healthier waterways.
Stormwater management – how Melbourne Water manages all areas of stormwater.
Urban stormwater management – the Environmental Protection Authority Victoria explains how stormwater can be polluted.
The story of the Edithvale-Seaford wetlands – Melbourne Water shares how these 259 hectares of wetlands came to exist.
How to build a rain garden – Melbourne Water offer tips for people who want their own raingarden.
How to get the most out of your rain water tank – save water and protect the environment.
Stormwater and urban waterways – detailed data around stormwater conditions.
Alma Park Stormwater Harvesting System – Watch as an underground system is build by City of Port Phillip in St Kilda.
Rain Garden Man Animation – City of Greater Dandenong has developed a short animated video about rain gardens.
Stormwater harvesting at Fitzroy Gardens – City of Melbourne explain how they save drinking water from being used to water plants and grass.
Stormwater harvesting in Alexandra and Queen Victoria Gardens – City of Melbourne explain the underground systems in their parks and gardens.
Stormwater harvesting at Birrarung Marr – City of Melbourne explain how they collect stormwater at Birrarung Marr near Federation Square.
What is biofiltration – City of Melbourne explain the natural process used to clean pollution from stormwater.
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Page last updated: 17/09/25