School Solutions

Here are some ideas to get started on creating your school's stormwater action plan! Can you think of more?

Too much rubbish in your drains?

  • Organise regular school clean-up events and report on drains regularly

  • Promote plastic-free school lunch days

  • Are school bins in the best location where people gather and eat?

  • Appoint River Rubbish Control Monitors to regularly inspect the playground for litter

  • Work closely with the school canteen to identify which single-use plastic items can be removed altogether or replaced with alternatives. For example, could single tomato or soy sauce serves be replaced with several bottles?

Too much organic litter in your drains?

Leaves, soil and other organic debris pollute and overwhelm the river with too many nutrients as they begin to break down in the water.

  • Use rocks, mulch or other materials to create barriers that prevent soil and plant material from moving towards a drain

  • Appoint River Water Quality Monitors to regularly inspect organic debris in the playground. This will be especially important in Autumn when trees are dropping their leaves in big volumes.

  • Organise clean-ups just before a big rain event is forecast.

Too much water leaving your school site?

  • Where can you plant more natives in the school grounds? Organise a school planting bee to refill a garden area or add in potted plants.

  • Mulch areas where soil is dry and hard to protect it and restore its ability to absorb water.

  • Can rainwater be redirected or collected and reused?