We all need to do our part to ensure runoff generated from construction and building sites does not cost our community or affect our waterways.

Sediment in runoff is a major threat to the health of our waterways, and the businesses and lifestyles that depend on them. 

Erosion is the primary source of sediment in runoff. Sediment includes soil, dirt, sand, mud, dust and silt. Other pollutants also attach to sediment and are carried with it, entering our waters.

Improving erosion and sediment control measures is a practical and cost-effective way to reduce the impacts and costs of sediment to our community and waters.

You can find information below on erosion and sediment control practices and your responsibilities.

Erosion and sediment control for new homeowners

Before going any further, please familiarise yourself with our helpful Erosion and Sediment Control Toolkits located on the Healthy Land Water website.

Your responsibility

Exposed earth presents the greatest erosion risk for the Redlands. The erosion of sediment from land is the largest source of pollution to our waterways.

If your builder has just 'handed over' your home with uncompleted landscaping, you must ensure that erosion and sediment control measures remain in place until there is no exposed earth/soil on your property.

Homeowners are responsible for keeping soil on their land, off the street, and out of stormwater and waterways. Even small releases of soil matter, as most of the soil in runoff is dissolved and the cumulative effect from multiple houses can be significant.

Before handover to you

When your builder hands over your home, you should confirm that they have stabilised your lot or left in place sufficient temporary measures to minimise erosion and prevent muddy water leaving your land.

Temporary measures may include controls like a sediment fence (small green fence) downstream of exposed soil, protected stormwater inlets and a stabilised rock entry pad.

After handover to you

After handover, your main goals should be to:

• establish ground cover as quickly as possible by completing your landscaping or using temporary stabilisation methods, such as laying turf or mulch
• finish your driveway promptly so your car does not track mud onto the street.

In the interim (prior to completed landscaping)

If your site is not protected sufficiently (yard stabilised), you may require additional controls. The controls you need will depend on the slope and nature of your land. Refer to the Healthy Land and Water toolkit for details of various controls.

The most common control used on residential sites is a sediment fence, installed downslope of exposed earth. This fence is a small, usually green woven fibre fence with wooden stakes spaced 2m apart. It should be trenched into the ground 200mm and then backfilled. When installing, return the ends of your fence up the slope so the fence acts as a small dam.

Inspect and maintain all temporary controls that you or your builder installed.

These temporary measures must remain in place until your entire yard is covered by established grass or other landscape elements (achieving permanent ground cover).

If you remove controls to complete other works, controls must be re-installed before the end of the day and any rainfall.

Why this is important

Erosion and sedimentation affects you and the whole community, including:

• increasing the cost of landscaping
• increasing the risk of flooding
• increasing the costs of maintaining infrastructure
• reducing the recreational value and opportunity of our water bodies
• affecting the quality of our natural environment.

Possible infringements

You may be at risk of being fined if erosion and sediment control on your property is not managed appropriately. Council may issue you a fine if soil leaves your property and goes into the street gutter or other water body.

For building sites

Building sites contribute large amounts of sediment and pollutants to the environment, particularly in the Redlands, where stormwater goes into waterways, wetlands and ultimately, Moreton Bay.

If you manage a building site, you must ensure the site has appropriate erosion and sediment controls in place.

Benefits of adopting best practice erosion and sediment controls

• Compliance with environmental legislation, particularly the Environmental Protection Act 1994
• Improved wet weather working conditions, reduced downtime and earlier building completion
• Fewer public complaints and a better public image for your business
• Reduced cost of landscaping, such as through limiting stockpile and topsoil losses
• Fewer clean-up costs
• Reduced risk of flooding
• Maintained recreational value of water bodies
• A healthier and safer environment for everyone

Responsibilities on your building site

Control measures must be installed before any excavation or site disturbance occurs. These measures must be maintained in good working order and repair throughout the construction until the complete site is effectively stabilised.

This includes keeping your site protected during any site shutdown period (e.g. weekends or the festive season). Ask yourself: ‘Have I got it covered?’ 

Getting information on erosion and sediment control

• Interactive mobile ESC toolkit (Healthy Land and Water) - control techniques you can use to save yourself time and money on current and future projects
• Downloadable fact sheets (Healthy Land and Water)
• Site checklist (Healthy Land and Water) – making your site compliant (see the web page for instructions on accessing a mobile version of the checklist) 
• International Erosion Control Association - best practice erosion and sediment control (particularly see their IECA field guide document [PDF, 3.0MB])

Additional references to assist with compliance

• Best Practice Erosion and Sediment Control (International Erosion Control Association)
• Erosion & Sediment Control: Field Guide for Builders (Catchments & Creeks)

Building sites compliance program

Council has a reactive and proactive compliance inspection program that operates throughout the year. Our standards are based on the Queensland Environmental Protection Act 1994.

If you work in the Redlands, one of our officers may visit your building site. If you would like to discuss your erosion and sediment controls with one of our officers, please call (07) 3829 8999.

We also offer a program providing advice to residential builders working on site less than 1,000m2  

• Erosion and sediment control - request for on-site advice [PDF 52KB]

Note: Substantial penalties may apply for compliance breaches.

General areas of improvement needed across the city

Erosion control

Sediment control

Drainage control