Achieving IS v2.1 As Built Env-1 Receiving Water Quality Credits: How SiteHive Can Help

This article outlines how construction companies can achieve the IS v2.1 As Built Env-1 Receiving water quality credit, focussing particularly on how SiteHive software can be used to make the process easier. We break down the criteria, and show you how SiteHive can help.

Clean, healthy water is important for people, wildlife, fauna and flora, and the environment in general. No-one wants to see pollution in our waterways or standing water, or see water in the wrong place.

The IS (Infrastructure Sustainability Council) v2.1 As Built Env-1 credit for Receiving water quality rewards environmental water management that addresses the quality of surface water and groundwater during construction. Its intent is to maintain or improve the environmental quality of local streams, rivers and water bodies.

NWQMS framework

The National Water Quality Management Strategy (NWQMS) directs water quality in Australia and New Zealand. It’s an Australian Government initiative that’s designed to protect Australia’s water resources by maintaining and improving water quality. Their Water Quality Australia website provides information to help water managers and others to plan and implement strategies for managing water quality. 

The delivery framework for the strategy is detailed in ​the National Water Quality Management Strategy Charter. This Charter details all the relevant policy, process and guideline components.

There are also different guidelines and laws in each state and territory, so it’s important to check with the relevant local authorities in your jurisdiction for their specific water quality standards.

What is the IS v2.1 As Built Env-1 Credit for Receiving water quality?

The IS v2.1 rating tool is designed to assess and encourage sustainable practices in infrastructure projects, including construction, operation, and maintenance. The Env-1 credit specifically focuses on managing receiving water quality. 

The Env-1 Receiving water quality credit rewards environmental management that maintains or improves the environmental quality of local streams, rivers and water bodies. To achieve the credit, contractors must show that they have monitored local water appropriately, taken measures to mitigate and resolve any adverse impacts, and communicated effectively with the operators and stakeholders. Higher level credits also require modelling and management of discharge water quality and flows.

Level 1: Laying the foundation

At Level 1, achieving the Env-1 credit involves taking action to meet the project’s water quality goals, implementing appropriate mitigation measures, and ensuring appropriate handover to the operational phase.

The appropriate measures to meet the water goals outlined in the design phase of the project must have been implemented, and corresponding evidence, such as photos, plans and documentation, must be shown.

SiteHive’s cloud-based environmental management system, SiteHive Enviro Pro, can make this a lot easier as it provides a complete system of record. Water quality data, photos, weather, notes, etc, can all be stored with a specific monitoring point, so you can show what has been done where, over time. You have direct access to documentation that can be used when applying for credits.

The system also makes it possible to deploy mitigation strategies quickly if needed. Data is available in real time, and it sits alongside all other monitoring data. Environmental managers have a complete and immediate view so that they can take action if required.

The monitoring must be undertaken in line with the plan developed during design, and evidence must include the frequency, duration, location and results of the monitoring. If there are any divergences from the plan, they need to be justified. In addition, an interpretation report of the monitoring results must be completed by a suitably qualified professional.

SiteHive Enviro Pro can help here in a number of ways:

SiteHive Enviro Pro enables smooth transitions and appropriate communication by providing a comprehensive record of information throughout the project lifecycle. 

As outlined above, all key data can be captured in SiteHive Enviro Pro. Information can then be shared directly with the proponent/operator through:

• The stakeholder view: Anyone can be given access to the SiteHive Enviro Pro system to see a tailored view of information. You can choose the information you want to share, and it is available to stakeholders from anywhere simply by logging into the system. Operators and others can be kept informed over time, and on specific issues, with very little effort.
• Collaboration tools: Monitored data can be added to with notes, observations and other information, allowing project teams to document and share mitigation strategies and keep everyone informed as the project moves from one phase to the next. SiteHive Enviro Pro allows everyone to access information from wherever they are, so information can be available to people throughout the project as required, making it much easier when it comes to handover and beyond.
• Reporting: SiteHive Enviro Pro produces customisable reports and summaries that can be used to share information. PDF reports can be produced quickly with just one click, making it easy to keep people informed.

Level 2: Going above and beyond

To achieve Level 2, projects must go beyond basic compliance by ensuring that the project engages with stakeholders and takes on board their feedback, as well as ensuring there are no adverse environmental outcomes.

Effective stakeholder engagement is a core requirement of Level 2 credits. Affected stakeholders must be engaged every two years, and any receiving water quality impacts, monitoring, modelling and mitigation must be reviewed – and any resulting actions then implemented.

By keeping the community and key stakeholders informed, projects can mitigate concerns and build trust. SiteHive Enviro Pro includes powerful communications tools that make it easy to share real-time data and provide useful reporting.

• Real-time data sharing: The Stakeholder View feature in SiteHive Enviro Pro allows projects to share a curated view of monitored data. It’s a really easy, time-saving way to provide transparency and ensure everyone is informed. Once the view is set up based on the information you want to show, it’s self-serve – so it literally takes no time.  
• Track stakeholder feedback: Any concerns or feedback from stakeholders can be recorded in SiteHive Enviro Pro so that they can be addressed promptly, and also provide supporting evidence for this IS credit.
  
• Summary reports: With one click, SiteHive Enviro Pro produces elegant and easy-to-understand reports that can be shared with stakeholders in PDF format, which makes it easy to keep stakeholders informed.

Achieving Level 2 involves monitoring and modelling to show that there are no negative impacts on receiving water quality from the project. SiteHive Enviro Pro can be used to gather attended measurements and manage all water data:

• Attended monitoring: SiteHive Enviro Pro includes a web app that makes it easy to do attended monitoring in the field. You can add a wide range of water data (pH, turbidity, salinity, temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen), as well as supporting evidence and observations such as notes, photos, weather, etc.
• Real-time monitoring: Water telemetry devices can be linked directly to SiteHive Enviro Pro so all your monitored data is together. The software automatically graphs and presents the information in easy-to-understand formats so it’s clear what’s happening to the water quality over time.
• Clear visualisation of historical data: SiteHive Enviro Pro shows both real-time and attended measurements in a clear, graphical format that includes historical data and thresholds. It makes it easy to see where exceedances have occurred, how the values change over time, and identify trends.
• Correlate water measurements with weather: Weather conditions are provided alongside monitored data results, so it’s possible to track and potentially predict the movement of certain parameters (such as turbidity) based on weather data (for example rainfall). SiteHive Enviro Pro automatically shows local weather from the nearest BOM, OpenWeatherMap or your own weather station.

As outlined above, SiteHive software can pull in information from attended and real-time monitoring devices, including data on water flow rates. This enables the flow rates to be reviewed and managed over time, along with the corresponding weather data, to contribute to the picture of peak stormwater flows. 

Level 3: Industry-leading practices

To achieve Level 3, projects must ensure that the receiving water from the construction sites is essentially the same as before construction. This includes water quality, as well as the discharge flow profile, which must mimic the pre-construction profile.

For achieving the two Level 3 ratings, the elements already outlined through this document are also useful in terms of capturing and visualising data, and providing a complete historical record of captured data and weather.

While SiteHive does not provide modelling capabilities, it does provide a clear picture of monitored data, including water discharge quality, which can be compared against the pre-development catchment.

SiteHive makes it easier to achieve the IS Receiving water quality credit

By facilitating real-time and attended monitoring; keeping a comprehensive system of record; sharing information with operators and stakeholders; and delivering reporting quickly, SiteHive Enviro Pro can help project teams manage receiving water impacts effectively, meet regulatory standards, and enhance their sustainability credentials. Whether your project is just starting or entering its operational phase, SiteHive’s tools provide the data, insights and flexibility needed to help achieve IS Env-1 Receiving water quality credits.

So, if you’re tackling the IS Env-1 Receiving water quality credit and want to see how SiteHive can help, get in touch today!