Sediment Task Force

State Government

Debbie Besch representing the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions

• Debbie is the Healthy Catchments and Coordination Program Manager of the Rivers and Estuaries Branch of DBCA.
• Debbie has been a member of the Task Force since 2014 and has been working on sediment management related projects since 2009.
• Debbie is involved in the Task Force as sediment is having adverse effects on the health of waterways throughout the Swan Canning Catchment.
• Debbie thinks that with increasing urbanisation there will be greater pressure on our waterways, so we need to work collaboratively to address this issue.
• Debbie believes that the most important issue for the Task Force to address is to ensure there is a standard approach by all local and state authorities to manage sand drift through the stages of development.

Vic Andrich representing the Department of Health WA

• Vic is the Department of Health WA’s Senior Policy Officer for their Science and Policy Unit.
• Vic has been a member of the Sediment Task Force since 2018.

Ian Mitchell representing Main Roads WA

• Ian is Main Roads WA’s Environment Officer.
• Ian joined the Task Force in 2021.

Amanda Best representing the Water Corporation

• Amanda is the Water Corporation’s Principal Drainage & Liveable Communities/Asset Investment Planning Metro Officer.
• Amanda joined the Task Force in 2023.

Local Government

Sarah Twyford representing the WA Local Government Association (WALGA)

• Sarah is WALGA’s Graduate Policy Officer (Environment).
• Rebecca joined the Sediment Task Force in 2022.

Christopher Beaton representing the City of Cockburn

• Christopher is the City of Cockburn’s Acting Head of Sustainability and Environment.
• Christopher joined the Sediment Task Force in 2021.

Ruban Ganesha representing the City of Kwinana

• Ruban is the City of Kwinana’s Engineering Developments Coordinator.
• Ruban joined the Sediment Task Force in 2022.

Belinda Stobie representing the City of Subiaco

• Belinda is the City of Subiaco’s Environmental Projects Officer.
• Belinda joined the Task Force in 2021.

Industry

Rebecca Epworth representing the Urban Development Institute of Australia WA

• Rebecca is a former UDIA Councillor and former Chair of the UDIA Urban Water Committee, a current member of the UDIA Urban Water Committee, a member of the Urban Water Standing Advisory Group, Secretary of Stormwater WA, the former Chair of New WAter Ways and an accredited benchmarking provider for Water Sensitive Cities.
• Rebecca joined the Sediment Task Force in 2023.

Aaron Sice representing the Housing Industry Association WA (HIAWA)

• Aaron is the Assistant Director of Building and Planning for HIA (WA).
• Aaron joined the Sediment Task Force in 2019.

Jason Robertson representing the Masters Builders Association of Western Australia (MBAWA)

• Jason is MBA’s Housing Director and was involved in MBA’s Smart waste program.
• Jason joined the Task Force in 2020.

Community

Shenaye Hummerston representing Perth NRM

• Shenaye is Perth NRM’s Conservation Program Manager.
• Shenaye joined the Task Force in 2021.
• Shenaye has extensive experience in catchment management and waterway restoration projects in Perth’s Eastern Region and the Avon catchment.

Amy Krupa representing the South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare (SERCUL)

• Amy is the CEO of South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare.
• Amy joined the Task Force in 2020.
• Amy has extensive experience in environmental education and community involvement and more recently in strategic project management.

Together with builders, residents, Local Government and environmental managers, the Sediment Task Force is working to control sediment to:

• Protect hydrological functions of rivers, wetlands and other water ways
• Reduce the risk of flooding houses and roads as a result of blocked stormwater drains
• Prevent sediment from smothering the reeds, plants and seagrasses that keep our rivers, wetlands and oceans healthy
• Protect aquatic invertebrates and benthic algae populations, whose presence is necessary for waterways to remain healthy ecosystems
• Prevent fish, prawns, crabs and other aquatic wildlife being killed due to the detrimental effects of sediments entering ecosystems
• Prevent sediment from covering grass in the parks that receive stormwater runoff
• Reduce nutrient enrichment of waterways and associated algal blooms
• Prevent the creation of breeding grounds for pest and potential disease causing mosquitoes and midges and protect public health from mosquito-borne diseases and pathogens
• Help to maintain stormwater management systems such as biofilters, pervious paving, infiltration cells and tree pits that are critical to protecting our rivers, wetlands, marshlands and oceans
• Reduce the risks of accidents on roads and paths.

Success in sediment control will:

• Reduce the costs to governments and the community for stormwater and river and wetland management
• Protect wetland hydrological and biological functions and water quality values
• Protect our local parks (where storm water is often discharged)
• Protect the aesthetic value of rivers, wetlands, marshlands and oceans that are icons of the natural beauty of Perth and regional WA
• Reduce sand and sediment build up on roads
• Reduce the costs of supplying sand for building sites and fill for urban development.