Integrated Water Management in brownfield sites — more opportunities than you think

There are several major greenfield schemes in Australia where integrated water management (IWM) initiatives have been implemented or are in the process of implementation on greenfield sites. This is a great initiative that will assist in reducing the ecological footprint of new developments on Australia's limited water resources. To date little work has been done to determine the feasibility of IWM in brownfield/redevelopment sites. Based on recent work it is clear that significant opportunities exist to achieve similar and even better outcomes in brownfield sites. In some cases it is possible to achieve a net zero-in zero-out outcome cost effectively compared to more traditional schemes. This paper outlines how the concept of integrated water management can be applied on brownfield sites in both domestic and industrial/commercial areas. Case studies are included to demonstrate the concepts and to illustrate the implications for the public and for authorities.