Stormwater

Stormwater is water from rain or storms that runs off surfaces, such as roofs or buildings, and into our drains. This water flows through our drainage network and into our waterways and Port Phillip Bay.

When it rains pollutants such as chemicals, litter, leaves, animal waste, oils and soil can enter the drainage system from our streets and end up in our beaches and waterways.

Polluted stormwater is a significant threat to human health and the environment. But we can help to reduce litter and improve the quality of our stormwater.

What you can do

  • Don't litter - what ends up in our streets eventually drains to the bay.
  • Keep your garbage and recycling bins secure - never let it blow away or fall out of the bin.
  • Dispose of paints and solvents properly - you can take your unwanted paint and paint tins to the Frankston Regional Recycling and Recovery Centre (FRRRC).
  • Always pick up after your pet - don't let animal waste pollute our beaches (you don't want to swim in it, do you?).
  • Sweep and dispose of lawn clippings, leaves and garden litter so that they don’t block drains. Green waste can be put in your food and garden waste bin, collected as hard waste or taken to FRRRC.

What we're doing

Council implements a range of initiatives to improve stormwater quality by reducing litter and other pollutants entering the City’s waterways and Port Phillip Bay. These include:

  • Litter Traps - Maintenance of gross pollutant traps (GPTs) in drains across the municipality, to trap large pollutants such as plastic bottles, before they enter local creeks and the Bay.
  • Litter education - Council runs a range of litter education programs and initiatives which aim to reduce the incidence of litter in our City, including supporting Clean Up Australia Day activities and local clean-up groups.
  • On ground works continue to reduce litter entering the City’s drains through street sweeping, drainage maintenance and management, litter removal and provision of public waste and recycling bins.
  • Water Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines - Council’s Water Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines encourage best practice environmental management of urban stormwater for Council and developers. Council has installed and maintains many raingardens and swales to assist in removing gross pollutants such as litter, coarse sediment and nutrients from stormwater which can lead to poor water quality and encourage algal growth in our waterways and Bay.
  • Building and Works Code of Practice - Council employs an officer to monitor building sites for compliance with Council's Local Law and the Environment Protection Act 1970 (Vic). All building sites are required to comply with all aspects of the Building and Works Code of Practice. Council provides education to those requiring assistance in achieving an acceptable standard of site management. View or download a copy of the Building Works Code of Practice(PDF, 155KB).

The management of urban stormwater in Frankston City is a shared arrangement between Frankston City Council and Melbourne Water.

Visit our Stormwater drains page or Melbourne Water for more information.

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