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Neutral or Beneficial Effect on Water Quality Assessment Guideline - PDF
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1 Neutral or Beneficial Effect on Water Quality Assessment Guideline 2011 Page 1 of 50
2 Disclaimer A reference to the State Environmental Planning Policy (Sydney Drinking Water Catchment) 2011 (the SEPP) includes a reference to the SEPP as amended from time to time and to any replacement SEPP. The purpose of the Neutral or Beneficial Effect on Water Quality Assessment Guideline (the guideline) is to provide information to help people who are assessing development proposals in the Sydney drinking water catchment. The information in the guideline is current, accurate and complete at the time of publication. The Sydney Catchment Authority does not make or give any representation or warranty that compliance with the Guideline will result in a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality, and will not be liable in negligence, breach of contract or statutory duty for failure of the proposal or the consequences of that failure. Copyright Note State of New South Wales through the Sydney Catchment Authority, You may copy, distribute, display, download or otherwise freely deal with this work for any purpose, provided that you attribute the Sydney Catchment Authority as the owner. However, you must obtain permission if you wish to (1) charge others for access to the work (other than at cost), (2) include the work in advertising or a product for sale, or (3) modify the work. ISBN Published January 2011 Page 2 of 50
3 CONTENTS 1. Introduction Context Purpose of the Guideline Audience Principles Statutory context Environmental Planning and Assessment Act State Environmental Planning Policy (Sydney Drinking Water Catchment) Assumed Concurrence Other NSW legislation WHAT IS A NEUTRAL OR BENEFICIAL EFFECT? Definition of neutral or beneficial effect Applying the neutral or beneficial effect test ASSESSMENT AND APPROVALS PROCESS Roles and responsibilities SCA involvement Development type and information to be supplied with an application Steps in the assessment process No identifiable potential impacts on water quality Exempt and complying development The NorBE Tool for Part 4 Development Applications The NorBE Tool a. Site considerations b. Assessment of stormwater impacts c. Assessment of wastewater impacts d. General considerations and assumptions The Electronic NorBE Tool Current recommended practices Compliance with conditions of consent ASSESSMENT AND APPROVALS PROCESS Supporting tools and user guides Wastewater effluent model MUSIC and the SSSQM Inspection checklist for Module DEFINITIONS ACRONYMS REFERENCES APPENDIX Page 3 of 50
4 1. Introduction 1.1 Context The Neutral or Beneficial Effect on Water Quality Assessment Guidelines (the guideline) is a revised version of the guideline published in It was originally developed in response to the Sydney Water Inquiry and the Drinking Water Catchments Regional Environmental Plan No 1 (now repealed and replaced by State Environmental Planning Policy (Sydney Drinking Water Catchment) 2011 (the SEPP)). The guideline responds to the requirement for all development in the Sydney drinking water catchment to demonstrate a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality. 1.2 Purpose of the Guideline This guideline supports the implementation of the SEPP by providing clear direction on what a neutral or beneficial effect means, how to demonstrate it, and how to assess an application against the neutral or beneficial effect on water quality test using the Neutral or Beneficial Effect on Water Quality Assessment Tool 2011 (the NorBE Tool). The guideline also provides the decision-making framework for the NorBE Tool (Appendix 1). 1.3 Audience The guideline will help consent and public authorities to consider whether or not the proposals in the drinking water catchment will have a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality. The guideline will also help applicants and their consultants to prepare development proposals for consent and public authorities. 1.4 Principles The following principles apply to this guideline: Assessment for a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality is required under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act). It is the development proponent s responsibility to demonstrate that a development will have a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality. The level of assessment required matches the level of risk of the development - developments with a greater potential risk to water quality will require more thorough assessment. Good project design leading to source management and control, and retaining natural features of waterways, is better than structural and end of pipe solutions. All measures must be taken to contain on-site any potential impacts resulting from a proposed development. The guideline outlines a practical and simple process to minimise the cost to developers, the community and the consent or public authority while providing the flexibility to achieve the best outcomes. This guideline builds on the extensive experience of the Sydney Catchment Authority and input from various specialist consultants and government agencies. Page 4 of 50
5 2. Statutory context 2.1 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) provides the statutory framework for planning and environmental impact assessment in NSW. Three parts of the Act have provisions for planning approval. This guideline relates directly to developments being assessed under Part 4 of the Act. The guideline may be of assistance to public authorities when considering whether an activity would have a neutral of beneficial effect on water quality. 2.2 State Environmental Planning Policy (Sydney Drinking Water Catchment) 2011 Under section 34B of the EP&A Act, provision is to be made in a State Environmental Planning Policy requiring consent authorities to refuse consent to development applications relating to any part of the Sydney drinking water catchment, unless the consent authority is satisfied that the proposed development would have a neutral of beneficial effect on water quality. State Environmental Planning Policy (Sydney Drinking Water Catchment) 2011 (the SEPP) has been made to satisfy this obligation. It sets out the planning and assessment requirements for all new developments in the Sydney drinking water catchment to demonstrate a neutral or beneficial effect (NorBE) on water quality. The SEPP requires consent authorities to refuse approval to new developments under Part 4 of the EP&A Act unless they are satisfied that the proposal would have a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality. For new activities under Part 5 of the EP&A Act, the SEPP requires public authorities to consider whether the activity would have a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality. Although not specified in the SEPP, the neutral or beneficial effect on water quality guideline may provide a framework to consider major infrastructure or other projects under Part 3A of the EP&A Act. The Minister for Planning determines these projects and which water quality test will be applied. 2.3 Assumed Concurrence Regulations made under the EP&A Act provide that a concurrence authority (such as the SCA) may give written notice to a consent authority (such as a local council) that concurrence may be assumed, subject to such qualifications or conditions specified in the notice. The Chief Executive of the SCA has issued a notice to all councils in the Sydney drinking water catchment. The notice issued to councils for the purposes of the SEPP lists the types of development for which a council, as the consent authority, may assume concurrence provided the council is satisfied that the proposal will have a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality. The notice was issued to councils at the same time as the publication of the SEPP. Page 5 of 50
6 2.4 Other NSW legislation Native Vegetation Act 2003 Clearing native vegetation is an action that can impact on water quality, and is therefore subject to the neutral or beneficial effect test on water quality. Clearing vegetation also requires separate consent in defined circumstances under the Native Vegetation Act Page 6 of 50
7 3. WHAT IS A NEUTRAL OR BENEFICIAL EFFECT? 3.1 Definition of neutral or beneficial effect Consent authorities must consider a number of matters to determine a development application, including that it will have a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality (NorBE). The consent authority may refuse an application on other grounds even if NorBE is satisfied. A neutral or beneficial effect on water quality is satisfied if the development: (a) has no identifiable potential impact on water quality, or (b) will contain any water quality impact on the development site and prevent it from reaching any watercourse, waterbody or drainage depression on the site, or (c) will transfer any water quality impact outside the site where it is treated and disposed of to standards approved by the consent authority. Public authorities undertaking activities in the Sydney drinking water catchment must also consider whether the proposed activity will have a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality. 3.2 Applying the neutral or beneficial effect test A proposed development or activity will be found to have a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality if it complies with and demonstrates any of the following: 1. There are no factors involved that have any potential to impact on water quality. There will be no changes to site conditions and/or the nature and location of development that could: a. directly change pollutant loads by introducing or increasing substances into the water cycle (such as waste flows, increased erosion, nutrients and sediments), or b. indirectly change the quality of water in the hydrological system by changing the bio-physical characteristics of the site in any way that reduces, or significantly threatens to reduce, the capacity of the site and related hydrological/ ecological components to assimilate, treat and otherwise produce water of at least equal quality to the existing systems. Changes relate to the environmental values of the system, and may include: - significant changes to water flows (reductions or increases in flows) - clearing or degradation of watercourses or of riparian corridors, or - changing the path of water flows through these assimilative systems. 2. The development will not adversely affect water quality off-site because: a. pollutant loads from the development / activity can be transported to acceptable downstream treatment and disposal facilities without adverse off-site water quality impacts, or b. any water quality issues can be effectively managed on-site so that there are no adverse water quality impacts off-site, or Page 7 of 50
8 c. there are no indirect adverse impacts on water quality caused, or likely to be caused, by changes to factors that currently affect water quality off-site such as treatment, assimilation of pollutants, or the hydrological cycle (such as changes to flow or flow paths, water courses or riparian corridors). The site of a proposed development or activity, to determine water quality impacts, is the land described in the development application, the Part 5 activity documentation, or where relevant, the project application. Pollutant loads or concentrations for each pollutant leaving a site are measured at the site boundary, or at the point where the pollutant enters a drainage depression, waterbody or watercourse. Section 4 describes how a neutral or beneficial effect is assessed and the matters that a proponent must address in an application. Page 8 of 50
9 4. ASSESSMENT AND APPROVALS PROCESS 4.1 Roles and responsibilities Local government has primary responsibility for granting development consents for most applications under their local environmental plan (LEP). Developments that require consent under an LEP must apply for consent from the relevant local council. The council will review the application and refer it to other government agencies that may be required to provide input or approvals by other Acts. A public authority proposing to carry out a Part 5 activity must consider whether the proposed activity will have a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality for the life of the activity, including construction, operation, and decommissioning. The Planning Assessment Commission and the Joint Regional Planning Panels may be involved in determining developments. 4.2 SCA involvement Councils must seek and obtain concurrence from the Chief Executive of the SCA before they can grant consent for a development application in the Sydney drinking water catchment. Regulations made under the EP&A Act provide that the Chief Executive of the SCA may issue a notice listing the circumstances where the consent authority may assume the Chief Executive s concurrence (see Section 2.3). The Chief Executive has issued a notice to take effect when the SEPP commences that lists certain types of development where council may assume the Chief Executive s concurrence and make a NorBE assessment using the NorBE Tool. The notice includes, but is not limited to, developments such as sewered and unsewered dwellings, certain multi dwelling housing, and some types of demolitions and earthworks. Developments that must actually be referred to the SCA for concurrence include, but are not limited to, unsewered subdivisions and larger multi-dwelling proposals, large earthworks, and designated development. The SEPP requires councils and other consent authorities to forward a copy of their determination to the SCA within 10 days. 4.3 Development type and information to be supplied with an application The development type will determine the type and extent of information needed to demonstrate a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality. Councils making determinations under the EP&A Act must also consider other planning matters in addition to water quality. Most applications must meet requirements and standards in addition to the neutral or beneficial effect test before council can give consent. In most cases, the first step in the consent process is for the applicant to discuss the proposed development with council to decide the type of application and information needed. Schedule 1 of the EP&A Regulation lists the information that must be supplied with a development application. This includes a statement of environmental effects. The SCA requires extra information that must be included with a development application, including a water cycle management study (WCMS), which varies according to the type and scale of development. The WCMS must include information addressing Page 9 of 50
10 erosion and sediment control, stormwater and wastewater. The type of report or model that must be included depends on the complexity of the development. Without this information, the council and the SCA cannot adequately assess whether the application meets the NorBE test. Information requirements are detailed in a brochure developed by the SCA: Developments in Sydney s drinking water catchments water quality information requirements (SCA, 2010a). The brochure Using a Consultant to Prepare Your Water Cycle Management Study (SCA, 2010d) explains the development application process in relation to the water cycle management study requirements, as well as information about choosing and using a consultant to prepare the required WCMS. The brochures are available to download from the SCA s website at An application for designated development (refer to Schedule 3 of the EP&A Regulation for a list of development declared to be designated development under the EP&A Act) must include an environmental impact statement. Designated development assessed under Part 4 of the EP&A Act follows the same approval process under the SEPP. 4.4 Steps in the assessment process There are two steps to assess an application to determine whether it has a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality, as shown in the NorBE Part 4 assessment flowchart (Figure 1). The first applies to an assessment by the consent authority when actual concurrence may be assumed in accordance with the notice issued under the EP&A Regulation. The second applies when concurrence from the SCA is required. If the council, by using the NorBE Tool, is satisfied that the proposed development will have a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality, they can issue consent based on water quality grounds. If the council is not satisfied that the proposed development would have a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality, they must refuse consent based on water quality grounds or discuss further options to amend the development application with the proponent. When the SCA issues concurrence, the council must consider the SCA s expert advice and either refuse or grant consent (as in Figure 1) No identifiable potential impacts on water quality It is safe to assume that a development will have no identifiable potential impact on water quality if the development is unlikely to result in: a change in surface imperviousness (or result in an impervious area less than 50 square metres) a concentration of flow of water the impedance of flow of water a substantial disturbance of soil (more than 50 square metres) discharge of effluent, dust pollutants or stormwater In this case, the neutral or beneficial effect test is satisfied and consent can be issued with respect to water quality, without further detailed assessment. Development proposals that would generally satisfy these criteria include, but are not limited to, minor boundary adjustments not involving new construction, or adding an ensuite bathroom without changing the number of bedrooms in a development. Other developments that are unlikely to have an impact on water quality may include a picket Page 10 of 50
11 fence, a pergola with either no roof or a shade cloth roof, or an office fit out. Many minor forms of development may actually be exempt or complying development as identified in an environmental planning instrument Exempt and complying development Exempt development Certain types of development may be listed as exempt development under another environmental planning instrument, such as a SEPP or a council s Local Environmental Plan. A neutral or beneficial effect on water quality assessment is not required for exempt development. Complying development Other development types may be classified as complying development under a SEPP or council s local environmental plan. Complying development does not require a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality assessment. Under clause 1.19 of State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 (the Codes SEPP), complying development cannot be carried out under the provisions of the General Housing Code if it is on unsewered land where the SEPP applies (ie land in the Sydney drinking water catchment). Complying development cannot be carried out under clause 9 of State Environmental Planning Policy No 60 Exempt and Complying Development if it is on unsewered land where the SEPP applies. Page 11 of 50
12 Figure 1 NorBE Part 4 Assessment Applicant submits application to council Council undertakes an initial assessment in NorBE Tool Council determines whether the proposed development will have no identifiable impact on water quality Council determines whether concurrence may be assumed NO YES YES NO Concurrence is not assumed: Council refers application to the SCA Council undertakes a comprehensive NorBE assessment using the NorBE Tool and Assessment Guidelines The SCA determines whether or not it is satisfied that the proposed development will have a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality Council determines whether or not it is satisfied that the proposed development will have a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality NOT satisfied Satisfied Satisfied NOT satisfied SCA withholds concurrence SCA issues concurrence with or without conditions Council must refuse consent on the grounds that NorBE is not satisfied Council may grant consent to the development subject to other factors of the DA process being satisfied Page 12 of 50
13 4.5 The NorBE Tool for Part 4 Development Applications The SCA developed the NorBE Tool (Appendix 1) to help local government planners assess whether development under Part 4 of the EP&A Act will have a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality. Development types have been divided into different development classes consistent with the Standard Instrument Principal Local Environmental Plan (the Standard Instrument). The development classes are then grouped into modules according to the required development assessment process and the level of potential risk from the development. Module 1 These developments typically involve a sewered new single dwelling or dual occupancy, or an alteration/addition to a dwelling. They can also involve swimming pools and subdivisions of three lots or less in sewered areas, car parks and small demolitions (less than 2,500 square metres). This module addresses standard stormwater questions for site risks and management responses that differ according to the size of the construction area. All Module 1 development proposals must be assessed by council using the electronic NorBE Tool. The concurrence of the SCA Chief Executive can be assumed except where the total impervious area or construction area is greater than or equal to 2,500 square metres. Module 2 Developments typically involve an unsewered new dwelling or dual occupancy, or alterations/additions. The main focus of this module is to assess wastewater systems, including design loadings and site risks. All Module 2 development proposals must be assessed by council using the electronic NorBE Tool. The concurrence of the SCA Chief Executive can be assumed except where: the development proposal involves non-standard systems the construction area is greater than or equal to 2,500 square metres there are inconsistencies with any Section 88 instruments placed by the SCA under the Conveyancing Act 1919 significant vegetation clearing is involved the dwelling site cannot meet the relevant buffer distances the development is proposed to be carried out on crown perpetual leasehold land. Module 3 Developments typically involve a sewered urban subdivision of four lots or greater that may or may not involve the construction of dwellings. Module 3 addresses standard stormwater site risks such as soils and slope, development risks, standard sewerage questions, MUSIC model evaluation, and site inspection queries. In this module, subdivision means lot layout and any construction proposed by the development application. All development classes that have an identifiable potential impact on water quality under Module 3 require referral to the SCA for concurrence. Module 4 Developments typically involve a rural subdivision with on-site wastewater disposal that may or may not involve the construction of dwellings. This module addresses standard stormwater site risks such as soils and slope, development risks, Page 13 of 50
14 MUSIC model evaluation, and site inspection queries as for Module 3. It also considers standard wastewater questions, and subdivision layout issues such as roads/rights-ofway, and dwelling and internal access issues. In this module, subdivision means lot layout and any construction proposed by the development application. All development classes that have an identifiable potential impact on water quality under Module 4 require referral to the SCA for concurrence. Module 5 Other development. All development classes that have an identifiable potential impact on water quality under Module 5 require referral to the SCA for concurrence. A full list of development classes and module groupings is in Appendix 1 Table A The NorBE Tool The NorBE Tool was developed using a risk-based approach. It is consistent with, and uses, assumptions and benchmark indicators of risk and recommended management practices, while providing consistent and transparent assessments. Modules 1 and 2 include a series of questions that lead to an action or conclusion which may include, but is not limited to: more information must be provided to determine a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality the development application must be referred to the SCA for concurrence NorBE is satisfied the proponent withdraws the application. The NorBE Tool will help determine whether there will be a predicted neutral or beneficial effect on water quality based on information entered by council. The information specifically relates to site and development risks, including effluent management and stormwater. Some sections of the NorBE Tool can be completed during a desktop assessment (assuming all documents and relevant information are available or have been provided by the proponent with the development application). Other sections must be completed after a site inspection. a. Site considerations Risks associated with development proposals vary greatly depending on site characteristics. Many aspects that may impact on water quality must be considered, including: slope (steep slopes pose a greater risk than flat terrain) distance from watercourses (developments closer to watercourses pose higher potential risk to water quality) soil characteristics (including permeability, depth, type, soil loss class, rainfall, salinity, phosphorus sorption capacity) site issues specific to subdivision design, such as layout, roads and rights-of-way. Management responses will differ according to site risks and size of the construction area. b. Assessment of stormwater impacts Stormwater can impact on water quality, especially if the amount of impervious surface is increased by the development. For example, stormwater leaving an undeveloped lot Page 14 of 50
15 covered in vegetation will differ in quality and quantity from stormwater leaving a lot with a dwelling (with an impervious roof area) and other associated impervious development (such as driveways, sheds, paved areas). To assess the impact of development on stormwater, the NorBE Tool includes questions on the proposed size of the impervious area and construction, and slope. These questions can be addressed by preparing a small scale stormwater quality model (SSSQM) for small subdivisions (less than 4 lots), impervious areas less than 2,500 square metres or less than 70 percent of the site, or where there will be less than one hectare of disturbed area, or a model for urban stormwater improvement conceptualisation (MUSIC) report. MUSIC is only required for development proposals under Modules 3, 4 and 5, which require actual concurrence from the SCA. c. Assessment of wastewater impacts Potential impacts from wastewater on ambient water quality are a significant issue in the Sydney drinking water catchment due to the large number of existing on-site systems and proposals for unsewered development. The choice of an appropriate on-site system for a particular development proposal will be greatly influenced by site considerations. These include slope, depth and type of soil (the presence of shallow soils will automatically preclude some system types), distance from watercourses, and the area available to set aside as an effluent management area. The SCA has developed a GISbased, effluent plume generation modelling tool (the Wastewater Effluent Model, or WEM - see Section 4.2.2) to support the design and assessment of on-site wastewater systems. A sewerage system with a proposed capacity of more than 20 persons equivalent or six kilolitres per day is a designated development and requires a full environmental impact statement and the actual concurrence of the SCA. d. General considerations and assumptions The NorBE Tool makes a number of general assumptions that must be considered by the assessor using the NorBE Tool. These include but are not limited to: the assessor can access certain software applications such as the SSSQM/MUSIC and the WEM (The SSSQM will be available through the SCA s website The WEM is embedded in the on-line NorBE Tool which can also be accessed through the SCA s website) the comparison between the predicted effect of the proposal on water quality with the estimated effect of the current (legal) use and condition of the site is based on conditions that, for example, exclude breaches of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 consultants reports may not match information from SCA databases a neutral or beneficial effect for certain low-risk developments can be satisfied by adopting current recommended practices (CRPs see Section 3.6 below) any existing wastewater systems must be considered any effluent management area is located wholly within each lot any proposed roads and/or rights-of-way are defined as including roads and associated drainage works Page 15 of 50
16 the number of lots fronting a watercourse in a subdivision proposal is minimised where there is a technical challenge to the assessment that council cannot resolve they will seek assistance from the SCA about the technical challenge (with relevant documentation) the site was not deliberately degraded before the development application submission to lower the neutral or beneficial effect pre-development baseline references to a dwelling include all associated structures and development such as garages, sheds, tennis courts, driveways referral to the SCA implies that the SCA s actual concurrence is required councils can contact the SCA for help and advice about their assessments. The NorBE test is not an exact science. The SCA approach to decide a neutral or beneficial effect will be a mixture of: using various guidelines, standards and practices to show that NorBE is satisfied quantitative neutral or beneficial effect evaluation or assessment using the WEM and/or the SSSQM / MUSIC stormwater models assessment of water quality risks qualitative assessment of internal offsets to ensure a neutral or beneficial effect The Electronic NorBE Tool A web based software application has been developed for ease of use and access to the NorBE Tool. Users and assessors should refer to the NorBE Assessment Tool User Guide (SCA, 2010b) for detailed step by step instructions and illustrated examples on how to use the NorBE Tool. The NorBE Tool helps councils decide whether the proposed development will have a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality, or whether the actual concurrence of the Chief Executive is required. It records the decision process for each development application. The NorBE Tool uses answers from the questions in each module to make an assessment. Some parameters are automatically filled in, while others require the user to choose an option or enter a value. An assessment summary including all responses can be printed. Where an assessment needs to be referred to the SCA, the assessment summary must be attached to the development application. 4.6 Current recommended practices In the SEPP, management practices that have been endorsed by the SCA are referred to as current recommended practices (CRPs). CRPs provide best practice methods to manage the water quality impacts of a range of land uses, developments and activities including urban and rural subdivisions, agriculture, industrial developments, waste and recycling, stormwater and wastewater management, service stations and preparing environmental management plans. Page 16 of 50
17 Landholders can get information about CRPs from the SCA website to include in the project design phase of a development, in property management planning, or in their day-to-day activities (eg controlling bank erosion on their property). The SEPP requires new developments or activities to incorporate CRPs and performance standards endorsed by the SCA or to adopt approaches that achieve the same or better water quality outcomes. This applies to public and private development. To ensure continual improvement in land and water management, the SCA will assess innovative practices that deliver the same or better water quality outcomes and, where appropriate, endorse them as CRPs. This process to allow existing good management practices to be endorsed and new management practices to be developed, will include communication with relevant stakeholders, technical assessment and regular review. All CRPs are listed on the SCA s website at 4.7 Compliance with conditions of consent The consent authority is responsible for enforcing development consent conditions. The SCA will inspect developments to check whether SCA advice or conditions are included in council determinations, and whether the development complies with SCA s conditions. Some conditions are automatically generated by the electronic NorBE Tool. Page 17 of 50