Stakeholders across the stormwater sector are experiencing mounting pressure from urbanisation, climate variability, tightening discharge regulations, and rising demand for non-potable water. At the same time, expectations around transparency, sustainability performance, and long-term resilience are reshaping how stormwater assets are planned and financed. The coming years will be crucial. Key priorities include optimising stormwater reuse at site and catchment scales, reducing dependence on potable supplies, managing water quality risks, meeting investor and regulatory expectations, and positioning cities and industrial zones as resilient and attractive places to invest and operate.
How Stormwater Is Being Reused More Effectively
Simply directing runoff away from streets and developments is no longer sufficient. Stormwater reuse requires a system-wide perspective that considers capture, treatment, storage, and end use. Runoff from roofs, roads, and hard surfaces can be collected, treated, and reused for applications such as irrigation, industrial operations, street cleaning, cooling, toilet flushing, and supporting environmental flows. Decentralised storage systems, retention basins, wetlands, and modular tanks are now integrated into urban and industrial landscapes.
Water quality monitoring, data collection, and visualisation are central elements of effective stormwater reuse. Many losses and inefficiencies remain concealed, including poorly controlled overflows, undersized assets, and underutilised storage capacity. Enhanced monitoring and control allow operators to align available stormwater volumes with the demands while maintaining safety and compliance. At the same time, there is a growing demand for integrated stormwater management platforms that support reuse planning, asset optimisation, and performance reporting requirements. These capabilities promote new operational methods, including local reuse schemes and collaborative models among utilities, municipalities, and private sector operators.
Stormwater systems are now more interconnected with the wider water infrastructure. Reuse schemes are being developed alongside wastewater and potable water systems to support circular water management strategies. Treated stormwater can supplement non-potable demands, ease pressure on existing supplies, and strengthen resilience during periods of drought or high usage. In this context, stormwater assets are no longer isolated elements but active contributors within a more balanced and adaptable water system.
The stormwater sector is achieving closer alignment between physical infrastructure, digital management, and planning frameworks. Different asset types, treatment methods, and governance models must operate cohesively despite variations in technical standards and operational responsibilities. Expanding stormwater reuse presents challenges but also offers substantial opportunities for innovations, collaboration, and long-term value creation.
Decentralised harvesting and storage systems are gaining traction, particularly where land availability supports multifunctional infrastructure that combines flood control, water reuse, and public amenity. Appropriate pre-treatment is essential to ensure water quality and protect downstream applications, while adaptable storage strategies enable operators to respond to progressively variable rainfall patterns. Organisations are now acting as both users and managers of stormwater resources, balancing capture, reuse, and discharge within a unified operational framework.
By reducing runoff volumes, enhancing water quality outcomes, and developing alternative water supplies, stormwater reuse strengthens resilience at both local and broader system scales. It also reinforces alignment with sustainability commitments by reducing the demand for potable water and improving catchment health. Waste streams such as sediment and organic matter are now managed more strategically, supporting stronger long-term performance of stormwater assets.
