Which Sydney councils do you work with?
Most Sydney metropolitan councils — Fairfield, Cumberland, Canterbury-Bankstown, Liverpool, Sutherland, Inner West, Hills, Strathfield, Burwood, Bayside, Georges River, Parramatta, Hornsby and others. Each has different PSD rules, water-quality targets and freeboard requirements; we build to the actual LGA policy, not a generic template.
Do you do MUSIC modelling?
Yes. MUSIC (and the newer MUSIC-X) is a standard part of nearly every council DA submission now. We build calibrated source nodes for the site land use, design the treatment train (raingardens, bioretention, GPT) and report against council's stormwater quality targets — typically 80% TSS / 45% TP / 45% TN reductions.
How much does a stormwater management plan cost?
For a typical residential dual-occupancy or small commercial site, the SMP including OSD sizing and MUSIC model is $2,500–$4,500 fixed fee. Larger sites (subdivisions, mixed-use, multi-hectare commercial) range from $6k to $20k depending on complexity, hydraulic modelling depth and council pre-DA requirements.
Can you attend a pre-DA stormwater meeting with council?
Yes. For larger projects we routinely attend pre-DA meetings with council engineering staff — confirming PSD interpretation, downstream pit capacity, treatment train acceptance and any specific council requirements before the design is locked in. It's the cheapest way to avoid a refusal.
What software do you use?
DRAINS for pit-and-pipe hydraulic modelling, MUSIC / MUSIC-X for water quality, AutoCAD Civil 3D for drainage layout, and EPA-SWMM for complex catchments where dual-drainage analysis is needed. Most councils accept any of these — we use the one that fits the LGA's preference.
Do you design rainwater tanks for BASIX compliance?
Yes. Rainwater tank sizing for BASIX water-target compliance is included in our residential stormwater packages — including roof catchment analysis, tank volume calculation and plumbing reuse strategy. Often combined with the OSD design to share storage volume where the council policy allows.
Do you cover stormwater work outside Sydney?
Yes — we work across the Hunter, Illawarra, Central Coast and Gold Coast SEQ. Each region has its own council policies; we'll confirm at the quote stage whether a specific LGA falls within our active scope. Travel and on-site time outside the Sydney Basin is quoted separately.
Can you peer review someone else's stormwater design?
Yes. We carry out independent peer reviews for councils, certifiers, developers, owners corporations and lawyers — auditing the hydraulic calculations, MUSIC modelling, council policy compliance and downstream impact. Useful before a contested DA, or after an approved-but-now-failing system.
Council-Specific Compliance
