Our Sustainable Environment Strategy details how we are pursuing environmental improvement in coming years.
Biodiversity
The City of Swan covers an area of 1,042 square kilometres and contains three distinct landforms – the Swan Coastal Plain, Darling Plateau and Dandaragan Plateau.
The City has some of the most significant communities of flora and fauna in the metropolitan area and it is this biological heritage that the City is looking to maintain, enhance and sustain. Our commitment to the management of Swan’s biodiversity is addressed in our Local Biodiversity Strategy.
One of the biggest threats to our natural environment is land clearing. Other threats include arson, off road vehicles, overgrazing, diseases such as Dieback, fire wood collection, chemical run-off and illegal dumping.
The City of Swan implements a number of capital works projects and maintenance programs on its land to reduce these threats.
Water
Waterways and their fringing vegetation have important environmental, recreational and cultural values. By keeping water catchments in good condition we help preserve the health of WA's waterways.
Plants, including algae, use nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus to grow. Excessive levels of nutrients in waterways can cause algal blooms which can be harmful to human health and the environment.
Through a series of initiatives, the City of Swan has been working to reduce the input of nutrients into waterways. Actions include:
- Installing litter traps on storm water drainage pipes
- Conducting nutrient testing of turfed areas before fertilizing
- Street sweeping
- Installing several constructed wetland filtration systems
- Designing and distributing educational pamphlets
- Holding free community workshops and presentations
- Re-vegetating streams and waterways.
Water quality monitoring is completed several times per year either in natural streams such as the Bennett Brook, Ellen Brook or Brockman River, and in City of Swan or Water Corporation managed stormwater basins. Monitoring determines the health of the water for preservation of plant and animal life and prevention of issues such as algal blooms.
Remediation works designed to strip nutrients and provide habitat have commenced at a number of urban stormwater basins in the Bennett Brook catchment.
The City of Swan works closely with the Department of Health to monitor the microbial quality of popular swimming beaches along the Swan River, including at Middle Swan Reserve and Ray Marshall Park.
Carbon
We are dedicated to reducing our impact on climate change.
The City has installed large-scale solar thermal heating systems for its swimming pools at the Swan Active Beechboro and Swan Active Midland leisure centres. These systems use solar energy to preheat pool water and therefore reduce the volume of natural gas required for this task.
The City also has an ongoing program to progressively install small scale solar hot water systems (e.g. for showers) at suitable community facilities such as Coolamon Pavilion, Midland Sports Complex and the Stratton Community Centre.
The City of Swan now has installed an electric vehicle charge station outside the City’s main administration building. The fast charging station is currently being used to charge the electric vehicles in the City’s fleet, including the car used by the parking inspectors.
Other users are welcome to use the charging station for the fee of $0.40 per kWh. The fast charging station takes approximately 20-30 minutes to sufficiently charge an electric vehicle.
To use the charger, simply sign up with Chargestar or Nextcharge.