The ACT Government is proposing to build the ACT's first subsurface wetland on one half of the Belconnen Oval, with community members encouraged to attend information sessions next week to have their say on the proposal.
Thirteen new Healthy Waterways assets are planned to be built across the ACT, including the proposed first subsurface wetland on Belconnen Oval. The subsurface wetland will help remove pollution from the Emu Creek Catchment stormwater and improve the quality of stormwater entering Lake Ginninderra.
The projects are part of recent ACT Government funding to extend the Healthy Waterways program, which has been running since 2014.
"The aim of the Healthy Waterways program is to improve the water quality of the ACT's lakes, ponds, and waterways by reducing the amount of pollution entering from stormwater systems. This is important for protecting the environmental and social values of these locations," Minister for Water, Shane Rattenbury said.
"The proposed construction of the subsurface wetland on Belconnen Oval would be an innovative and attractive solution for improving water quality while also improving amenity and building our understanding of waterway health.
"Based on water quality modelling, the subsurface wetland in Belconnen could intercept and filter around 30 percent of the total suspended solids, nitrogen and phosphorus coming from the Emu Creek catchment before they enter Lake Ginninderra. This is a significant reduction and will help to reduce the likelihood of blue-green algae blooms.
