WSUD Policy and Developer’s Toolkit

Penrith City Council’s Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) policy introduces a framework for industrial, residential and commercial developments to improve stormwater quality and reduce potable water consumption to help restore the natural water cycle. It details catchment management and water quality controls which depend on a development's scale and type. Performance criteria outlined for stormwater conservation, quality and quantity apply to developments including:

• Residential development of 5 or more dwellings including multi-dwelling housing, residential housing, residential flat buildings and mixed-use development.
• All new commercial, retail, mixed-use and industrial development greater than 2,500m2 total site area and alterations and additions where the increase in the roofed and impervious area is equal to or greater than 250m2.
• Residential (5 or more lots) or commercial and industrial subdivision.
• Any development which results in an increase of the existing impervious area by greater than 250m2. Development includes but is not limited to additional roads, driveways, vehicle parking areas, loading and storage areas.

The policy evaluates total gross pollutants, total suspended solids (TSS), Nitrogen (TN) and Phosphorus (TP) and includes a flow management target to reduce erosion within creeks. A WSUD Strategy would also be required under the Policy including stormwater modelling to demonstrate how targets can be met.

• Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) Policy
• Water Sensitive Urban Design Technical Guidelines
• Addendum 2: PCC WSUD Bioretention Standard Drawings

If you require these documents in accessible format please contact 4732 7777 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Penrith City Council’s Development Control Plans (DCPs) can be found via the Planning Controls webpage .

To assist developers and owners of WSUD treatment devices a maintenance plan and checklist should be developed. Blacktown Council developed a WSUD inspection and maintenance manual guideline* and template to assist private property owners to effectively manage their WSUD systems.

These guidelines include details of 11 different WSUD asset types and their functional components along with reference, inspection, and maintenance sheets. Blacktown Council has permitted Penrith City Council and its residents to use this maintenance manual to help manage their WSUD devices.

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) inspection and maintenance guidelines

Maintenance manual checklists

1. Rainwater Tanks
2. Biofilters
3. Biofilter street tree pits
4. Wetlands
5. Vegetated buffer strips and swales
6. On-site stormwater detention (OSD)
7. Gross Pollutant Traps (GPTs)
8. Filter Cartridges
9. Pit Inserts
10. Permeable Paving
11. Temporary sediment basin

*Acknowledgement

These Guidelines were initially developed by Blacktown City Council, with assistance from E2Designlab Pty Ltd. A previous version was developed with assistance from Alluvium Consulting Australia Pty Ltd.
Illustrations provided by Sarah Emerson. Images by Blacktown City Council, E2Designlab Pty Ltd, Ocean Protect Pty Ltd (formerly known as Stormwater360 Pty Ltd), Renew Solutions and Hawkesbury River County Council. Proprietary device images by Rocla Pty Ltd, Holcim, SPEL Stormwater and Ocean Protect.