By: David Nixon, NSW SQID Taskforce Chair, Sydney
Date: October 11, 2025
Let’s be direct: when it comes to stormwater management in New South Wales, the system is broken.
For years, we’ve operated like a ship without a rudder. We have dedicated councils, innovative manufacturers, and expert consultants all working hard in their respective roles. But without a clear, overarching strategy from the state government, their efforts are uncoordinated, inconsistent, and ultimately fall short of what’s needed.
After 12 months of intensive investigation, the NSW SQID Taskforce has concluded that stormwater in this state is, for all intents and purposes, “out of control.” This isn’t an accusation aimed at any single group; it is a diagnosis of a systemic failure of governance. 🏛️
The Consequences of a Leaderless System
What does an “out of control” system look like on the ground?
- A Patchwork of Rules: With no clear state-level direction, each of the 128 local councils is left to interpret and implement stormwater policy on its own. This creates a confusing and inefficient patchwork of standards that frustrates developers, hinders innovation, and delivers wildly different environmental outcomes for communities, sometimes right next door to each other.
- A Black Hole of Accountability: When an asset fails or a council’s maintenance budget is exhausted, who is held responsible? Without a designated lead agency and mandated standards, there is no accountability. The problem is passed around, but the root cause—the lack of a proper framework—is never fixed.
- Endless Reaction, No Proaction: Our current approach is entirely reactive. We wait for things to go wrong—for assets to fail, for budgets to be blown, for our waterways to be polluted—and then we scramble for a solution. A well-governed system would be proactive, setting clear standards to prevent these failures from happening in the first place.
Why the Industry Cannot Fix This Alone
The stormwater industry is filled with expertise and goodwill, but it cannot regulate itself. That is a fundamental role of government.
Expecting a fragmented industry to create and enforce its own legally binding standards is like asking car manufacturers to set and police the national road rules. They can design safe cars, but they cannot set speed limits, mandate seatbelt use, or build the highways. Only government has the authority to establish a fair, consistent, and enforceable framework that everyone must follow.
Without decisive government intervention, any industry-led reforms will remain voluntary, patchy, and ultimately fall short of the comprehensive solution we need.
The Solution: A Call for Government Leadership
The NSW SQID Taskforce Report does not just identify this problem; it provides a clear and practical solution. We are calling on the NSW Government to take ownership of this critical policy area by:
- Appointing a Lead Agency: Formally designate a department, such as the DCCEEW or EPA, to be responsible for the overarching strategy and performance of stormwater management in NSW.
- Mandating Minimum Standards: Establish a clear, consistent, and legally mandated set of minimum standards for SQID auditing, maintenance, and reporting that applies to all local government areas.
- Providing Support: Back these standards with meaningful support, including the co-funding programs needed to help councils meet their new obligations.
Meaningful and widespread change in stormwater management will not happen without clear leadership and regulation from the state government. The NSW SQID Taskforce Report provides the critical evidence and a comprehensive roadmap for this necessary intervention. To make the strongest case possible, we need a unified industry voice. Please review the report’s recommendations and provide your feedback to help us refine our advocacy.
We have commenced a broad consultation process across industry, government, councils and industries. We are aiming to prepare a feedback supplement at the conclusion of the consultation period.
Review the consultation draft, Volume One, outlining recommendations, available on the Stormwater 2030 website.
Submit feedback via the Taskforce Feedback Form by Monday, December 1, 2025.
