Role of Street Sweeping in Reducing Road Runoff Pollution

Frances Charters, University of Canterbury

Salina Poudyal Dhakal, Environmental Compliance Officer, CCC

Paul Dickson, Senior Drainage Engineer, CCC

Introduction

Runoff from urban surfaces such as roads contributes sediment and heavy metal pollution into our waterways, causing both immediate and long-term adverse impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Street sweeping is a key tool that can be used to minimise the amount of pollutants that can reach the waterways from road runoff.

A multi-phase project was undertaken by Christchurch City Council (Council) and University of Canterbury to guide the optimisation of Council’s street sweeping practices, as part of meeting their Comprehensive Stormwater Network Discharge Consent (CSNDC) conditions. The CSNDC schedule 4 includes requirements for a cost-benefit analysis of options for carrying out a targeted trial for contaminant reduction from the increased level of selective street sweeping, and if shown to be warranted, field trials are to then be undertaken.

Full abstract can be downloaded below