Redland City Council has prevented over 500m³ of waste from entering Moreton Bay over the last two years, using Stormwater Quality Improvement Devices (SQIDs).
Redland City Mayor, Karen Williams, said the SQIDs were designed to stop vegetation, sediments, litter and other materials entering the city’s waterways and ultimately into the bay.
“We have a network of about 740 SQIDs whose tentacles spread all across Redlands Coast,” Mayor Williams said.
“In 2019 about 280m³ of waste, and a further 228m³ in 2020, was recovered from the devices by Council contractor, Urban Asset Solutions, which monitors and maintains the SQIDs.”
Mayor Williams said the devices took several formats, including trash racks; which are steel grates with netting that sit across open channels to collect large waste like bottles, takeaway cups and green waste.
“There are 80 of these trash racks across the city,” Mayor Williams said.
“There are another 320 litter baskets in use that are generally installed in stormwater pits and more than 70 gross pollutant traps, or GPTs, that are installed throughout the drainage network.
“SQIDs also come in the form of bioretention basins and swales of which there are more than 100 on Redlands Coast, including a brand new basin that has been constructed alongside Birkdale Recycling and Waste Centre.
“The bioretention basin at Birkdale will improve the quality of stormwater runoff from the waste centre.”
Urban Asset Solutions’ scope of works consists of general system monitoring, reporting and maintenance services including repairing erosion, unblocking inlets and outlets, removing litter and debris, managing and controlling weeds, planting, reporting on rectification works and undertaking scheduled GPT cleans by vacuum or crane truck methods – to ensure all managed assets are performing to their intended specification, are safe and aesthetically pleasing.
Mayor Williams said the company had a regional office in Cleveland that employed four people full time.
“It is just one of many local businesses and suppliers used by Council,” Mayor Williams said.
“Council is focused more on spending locally as part of our corporate procurement policy, contract manual and strategic contracting plan and procedures adopted in July last year.
“Wherever possible we will be using local businesses and suppliers to continue our support of the local economy and to keep people in jobs and create new employment opportunities.”
