Use eco design practices in your garden

Improve our waterways and the stormwater network with eco design practices and devices:

• Permeable surfaces, such as lawns, reduce the amount of stormwater going into drains.
• Retention tanks collect runoff water from hard surfaces and store it during a storm.
• Rain tanks are the same as retention tanks but are often used in rural areas.
• Soakage trenches along edges of paving help the ground absorb more stormwater.
• Rain gardens allow stormwater to soak through the soil, filtering out sediment before it goes through drains. They reduce the amount of pollution reaching our waterways.
• Living roofs are roofs with vegetation. They absorb rainwater and improve insulation.
• Mulching keeps moisture in the soil and helps slow the flow of stormwater. Dried leaves or wood chips make for good mulching.

To find out if you need to apply for a consent for any of these devices, see Consents.

To prevent or reduce flood risk on your property, see Flooding and blockages.