A living stream project to turn functional into fantastic

• City of Canning to convert Water Corporation stormwater drain into living stream
• Local government, the Water Corporation and Department of Water and Environmental Regulation are working together for more liveable communities
• Today is World Water Day which is celebrated internationally 

A collaborative project to turn a stormwater drain in a popular Ferndale park into a living stream is about to begin in the City of Canning.

The Lambertia Creek Living Stream project is part of an exciting new approach from government agencies to combine their expertise to create a more liveable, greener city.

The City of Canning plans to convert the Water Corporation's open stormwater drain running through Lambertia Creek Park into a living stream, to provide the community with a more attractive and environmentally valuable asset in the suburb.  

The work will be undertaken by the City of Canning and the project includes a $25,000 contribution from the Water Corporation to contour, revegetate and improve the natural habitat of the drain to mimic a natural stream. The funding is part of the Drainage for Liveability Program, jointly developed by the Water Corporation and Department of Water and Environmental Regulation.

The City of Canning will also co-ordinate a series of community events to plant 25,000 seedlings on site through a $50,000 grant from the State Natural Resource Management Program. The City is contributing $25,000 in funding and $20,000 in-kind support. The South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare (SERCUL) is also supporting the project.

Comments attributed to Water Minister Dave Kelly:

"On World Water Day, this project is a good example of how we can use nature to help us manage water quality in our urban waterways and shallow aquifers.

"Living streams play an important role in cleaning up stormwater as it moves through the city landscape and provides new ways of improving the amenity of our public open spaces.

"The Lambertia Creek Living Stream project takes a simple engineering function and turns it into a healthy ecosystem that can be enjoyed by the whole community.

"I congratulate the City of Canning for working with the Water Corporation, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and SERCUL on this collaboration to create an asset that will be enjoyed by locals for many years to come."

Comments attributed to City of Canning Mayor Paul Ng:

"This project is an exciting initiative for the City of Canning. We are shaping the banks of the drain, supporting tree roots and drain outlets with rock installations and revegetating the area.

"Our community has asked for natural areas where they can enjoy watching the wildlife flourish and this is the perfect opportunity for this to happen."