Stormwater infrastructure plays an important role in protecting our waterways and reducing the environmental impact of urban development. The effectiveness of stormwater treatment measures depends on regular maintenance, yet installing new devices means little if they are not maintained. While Queensland has numerous stormwater treatment devices to improve water quality, are they working as intended and being maintained properly?

Having returned to Brisbane after over a decade in Sydney, I’ve noticed a clear disparity in stormwater asset management between Queensland and southern states like New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and the ACT.

In the southern states, routine audits of public Stormwater Quality Improvement Devices (SQIDs), including Gross Pollutant Traps (GPTs) and Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) measures, are standard practice. These audits, aligned with the Guidelines for the Maintenance of Stormwater Treatment Measures (Stormwater QLD), provide essential insights into asset condition and performance. However, in Queensland, the rarity of SQID audits raises questions about whether existing infrastructure is being maintained and optimised to achieve the best environmental outcomes.

For private assets, the situation is more concerning, as most are neither maintained nor audited. While public asset management is improving in the southern states, the gap in private asset oversight represents a nationwide missed opportunity for stormwater treatment. This critical issue warrants further discussion.

The benefits of SQID audits are well-documented. Councils and water authorities conducting regular audits report improved asset performance and cost efficiency, with benefits such as:

  • Field Validation – Assessments confirming type, model, and condition.
  • Condition Reports – Identification of assets needing repairs or upgrades.
  • Data Sheets – Records of asset details, storage volumes, and maintenance triggers.
  • Cleaning Specifications – Tailored one-page-cleaning-specifications, ensuring maintenance contractors adhere to site-specific best practices.
  • Rectification Spreadsheets – Prioritised lists of issues, solutions, and costs.
  • Budgeting Tools – Supporting capital works planning and maintenance funding.
  • Capacity Building – Training that enhances long-term asset management.
  • Increased Funding – Validated data strengthening cases for budgets and projects.

SQID audits enable optimised maintenance schedules, reducing costly emergency repairs and extending asset lifespans. They help identify which devices perform well and inform Council DA engineers on approving effective devices in the future. In line with the Guidelines, audits occur only once a decade and serve as the foundation for enhancing stormwater quality management, environmental outcomes, and cost efficiencies.

As Queensland faces urban development pressures and extreme weather events, prioritising SQID audits is critical, especially with the Olympics fast approaching. Collaboration between asset owners, industry experts, and contractors is key to maintaining effective stormwater infrastructure.

Queensland has the assets, but do we have the ambition? Southern states have been auditing for over 15 years. Proactive audits and maintenance can help Queensland better protect its aquatic environments.

Disclaimer: 

As a Senior Water Engineer at Optimal Stormwater, Dan specialises in the auditing of SQIDs. While his company provides SQID auditing services, the intent of this article is not to promote their services but to highlight the critical need for once-a-decade SQID audits across Queensland, and is fully supported by the wider stormwater committee. Regardless of who conducts them, these audits done in line with the Guidelines are essential to ensure stormwater assets perform as intended, protecting waterways and supporting sustainable urban development

Dan Rhodes – Optimal Stormwater | Senior Water Engineer | B.Eng (Civ Eng), MIEAust, CPEng, NER, RPEQ