Image: A gross pollutant trap also known as a baffle box

The pollutant trap will significantly reduce the amount of pollutants entering the Stirk Park and is expected to be operational by April 2020. One installed, the trap will catch litter, particularly cigarette butts and pieces of plastics, before they enter the creek.

Mayor Margaret Thomas said the idea for installing the gross pollutant trap had been met with much enthusiasm by local school students. 

“Last October, four students from the school’s First Lego Leagues team contacted the City to get more information about future works planned for Stirk Park,” Cr Thomas said.

“The students from Gooseberry Hill Primary had already researched the benefits of drainage nets and trash traps and other ways to reduce pollution in the Stirk Park creek and improve the water quality of Poison Gully and wanted to share their ideas and get feedback from City staff.”

“Timing was perfect with the City staff working on a new Gross Pollutant Trap, due to technical investigations and drainage improvements for the implementation of the Stirk Park master-plan. Once installed, the trap will build local awareness and encourage people to use rubbish bins first so our waterways are no longer the final resting place for these pollutants,” Cr Thomas said.

‘The City is also currently finalising the design of the new Stirk Park playground.”  

Baffle boxes are concrete or fiberglass structures containing a series of sediment settling chambers separated by baffles. The primary function of baffle boxes is to remove sediment, suspended particles, and associated pollutants from storm water. Baffle boxes may also contain trash screens or skimmers to capture larger materials, trash, and floatables.

For more information, contact the City of Kalamunda on (08) 9257 9999 or email enquiries@kalamunda.wa.gov.au. 

Photos below: Installing of the baffle box in Stirk Park near Kalamunda Road section of the park.