What are some of the key Waterwise Perth issues that we’re dealing with?

  • Perth’s rainfall is declining due to climate change.
  • Streams and wetlands are drying up.
  • There is less flushing of pollutants out of our rivers and estuaries and water temperatures are increasing. This results in more algal blooms and less oxygen in the rivers and estuaries.
  • Urban temperatures are increasing, resulting in more heat-related health impacts for people, plants and animals.
  • Sea level rise is inundating and eroding coastal areas and estuary foreshores.
  • More intense rainfall events are resulting in higher incidences of road, building and river foreshore flooding.
  • The south-west of Western Australia is a biodiversity hotspot. We have a high concentration of plants and animals that occur nowhere else in the world, but they are threatened by habitat loss. Our gardens and neighbourhoods can be designed to bring nature back into our urban communities.
  • By bringing nature back into our gardens and verges, we can create neighbourhoods that are healthier for wildlife and people.
  • Local native plants are not only suited to our environment (reducing the need for watering and fertiliser), but they also help improve biodiversity and can provide habitat for birds, insects and other native animals.
  • Animals need to move between natural areas to find food and shelter. This is difficult in cities, where natural habitat has been cleared to make way for development. We can create nature links that are a wildlife-friendly corridors connecting areas of bushland, rivers and wetlands.
  • Drainage networks can be used to support local biodiversity by improving water quality and habitat by using local plant species and improved stormwater management practices.
  • We are all responsible for protecting our precious Derbal Yiragan (Swan) Djarlgarro (Canning) river system, wetlands and coastal waters.
  • Wetlands, rivers and bushland are important ecosystems that support a large range of Perth’s plants and animals.
  • Removing weeds and revegetating with local native plants helps to improve the water quality and habitats of wetlands, rivers and bushland.
  • Street stormwater drains have separate pipes to the wastewater system. Street drains often flow to rivers, wetlands and the ocean without any or very little treatment. That’s why it’s important that only rain goes down the drain.
  • You can play a part in protecting water quality by improving your home, car and garden maintenance. Rainwater runoff picks up rubbish, fertilisers, lawn clippings, dog poo, detergents, petrol, oils, sand and other pollutants from driveways, footpaths, verges and roads. These pollutants flow through the stormwater system and into rivers, wetlands, and the ocean.
  • Leaves from deciduous trees and lawn clippings that are swept onto the road go down the stormwater drain and provide unwanted nutrients to rivers and wetlands.
  • Rubbish, leaves, sand and other materials can block stormwater drains and cause road and building flooding.
  • Rivers, wetlands, bushland, vegetated parks and vegetated stormwater systems are great places for people to connect with nature, which has been proven to have mental and physical health benefits for people.
  • Being a part of a community and/or volunteer group is good for community connection and personal connection (Act, Belong, Commit).
  • Bring nature back to your home. Choose to maximise the number and variety of local native plants around your home – it will improve liveability for you and your family, as well as provide habitats for native animals.
  • Retaining vegetation and water in the landscape provides a cooling benefit. Trees are nature’s air conditioners, cooling the landscape through evapotranspiration and shade provision.

Learn more about what you can do to help protect our precious rivers and waterways.

  • Create a garden with local native plants that will provide food and habitat for native wildlife and will help keep our rivers, wetlands and coastal waters healthy.
  • Grow a habitat tree and retain existing trees. Design your new home around an existing tree, rather than removing the tree.
  • Attend a free RiverWise Gardening workshop
  • Only fertilise in spring and autumn or select native plants that don’t require fertiliser.
  • Prevent fertilisers and pesticides entering rivers, wetlands and groundwater by not applying fertilisers and pesticides when heavy rain is forecast and not applying near stormwater drains.
  • Use controlled-release fertilisers, low-nitrogen fertilisers and phosphorus-free (NP) detergents.
  • Test soil first to determine if fertiliser is required. Then determine how much and what type you need.
  • Measure the area requiring fertiliser and the amount of fertiliser required and always follow directions on the packet.
  • Use soil amendments to retain moisture and nutrients in your soil profile. Add clays, compost or soil wetter to sandy soils to improve water and nutrient holding capacity. Tips to improve your soil are available on the Water Corporation’s improving your soil webpage.
  • Plant in late autumn/early winter, as rainfall through the cooler winter months will help with plant establishment.
  • Keep our wetlands, rivers and bushland weed free by not dumping garden waste in parks and reserves.
  • Sweep up or vacuum leaves and lawn clippings and dispose of them in your garden organics (GO) bin or compost system, instead of sweeping or blowing them onto the road or into the stormwater drain.
  • Collect fallen leaves to keep them out of stormwater drains.
  • Keep soil stockpiles away from the road or install sediment control fencing on building sites to prevent soil being washed away during a rain event.

 

 

  • Put rubbish and cigarette butts in the bin.
  • Pick up your dog’s poo and put it in the bin.
  • Keep wetlands, rivers and oceans free from fishing lines and rubbish by disposing of them in the bin. This will help protect wildlife and prevent entanglements of dolphins and birds.
  • Enjoy dolphins and wildlife from a distance (100m in a boat or vessel) to reduce disturbance.
  • Keep cats and dogs away from wildlife.
  • Help nature grow by keeping out of revegetation and other protected areas, such as bird nesting sites.
  • Keep our wildlife, rivers and wetlands healthy by not feeding wildlife.
  • Join a local conservation group to plant local native plants and remove weeds. Visit the DBCA website to find a group near you.
  • Get involved with local stormwater improvement projects, such as vegetating stormwater drains and sumps, to improve the water quality entering our wetlands and rivers.
  • Subscribe to become a River Guardian