Environmental initiatives

• During 2008 a backwash recycling system was installed at the Sandringham Family Leisure Centre (see right). The system treats water from the swimming pool backwash system and uses it to flush the toilets at the pool and gym. The Sandringham Family Leisure Centre Backwash Recycling Project was completed with assistance from the Australian Government’s Community Water Grants Program.

  Prior to installation of the system, backwash water was discharged directly to the sewer. Rather than waste this water Council wanted to use it and avoid the use of drinking water for flushing toilets.

  The system consists of storage tanks and a treatment system. After treatment the water is stored in a tank that is connected to the toilets.

  As at June 2008 the Sandringham Family Leisure Centre Backwash Recycling Project has saved 298,000L of drinking water. The swimming pool holds about 750,000L of water so this system has already saved almost half the pools volume of drinking water!

• Integrated water saving solutions at Sandringham Bowls Club. This project includes the replacement of one natural grass green with synthetic grass and the installation of rainwater tanks to provide water for irrigation of the second natural grass bowling green. This project is expected to save over one million litres of water annually.
• Bayside City Council received funding from the Commonwealth Community Water Grants Fund to upgrade the irrigation system at the Bayside Community Nursery. As well as Council, CityWide Service Solutions Pty Ltd, the nursery manager, also contributed funding towards this project. 

Don't trash Elster Creek

Bayside Council joined forces with Glen Eira and Port Phillip City Councils to tackle the mounting litter problem in the Elster Creek catchment. 

The three councils have successfully applied for and received State Government funding through the Environment Protection Authority’s Stormwater Action Plan, to improve the water quality of Elster Creek.

The $81,825 grant was used to investigate the extent of the litter problem, provide recommendations for capital works and litter prevention and conduct a local education and awareness campaign.  The three councils jointly matched the grant on a dollar-for-dollar basis.

The Elster Creek catchment drains an area of about 40 square kilometres, extending from St Kilda in the north, to Highett in the South and from Port Phillip Bay to Caulfield and Bentleigh East.

For more information, visit the Elster Creek Catchment project website.

Hampton Primary School gets tanked

Bayside City Council joined forces with the Rotary Club of Hampton and Hampton Primary School to install a 75,000 litre rainwater tank on the Hampton Primary School grounds.

Water is collected from the school's playground and diverted to an underground tank

Bayside City Council was awarded $10,000 from the Department of Sustainability and Environment's Stormwater and Urban Water Conservation fund to complete the project.

This fund was set up to support innovative approaches to stormwater management and boost Victoria's use of alternative water supplies.

For more information, visit the Hampton Primary School website.

Rainwater tanks

Bayside has installed rainwater tanks at several locations across Bayside. For example Council's maternal and child health centres have rainwater tanks for toilet flushing.