About

About Water Studio

Water Studio is a specialist water and civil engineering consultancy based in Victoria, delivering technically rigorous, ecologically informed design across the full project lifecycle, from initial feasibility and concept through to functional design, detailed construction documentation, and construction superintendence. Founded and led by Jamie Tainton, CPEng, FIEAust, RPEV, Water Studio brings over 20 years of hands-on experience across local government capital works, land development, Melbourne Water programs, and integrated water management. Jamie holds a Bachelor of Science and Engineering (Honours) from Monash University and has built a career defined by technical depth, collaborative problem-solving, and a genuine commitment to improving how Victoria manages its water.

What We Do

Water Studio works across the full spectrum of water-sensitive civil engineering, including wetland design and waterway restoration, stormwater management plans and drainage strategies, Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) including raingardens, tree pits, swales and bioretention systems, stormwater harvesting and water balance modelling, passive irrigation and street tree watering systems, retarding and sediment basin design, traditional drainage and road design, and integrated water management for land development. Every project is approached with an eye for how water moves through a landscape, and what that means for the people, communities, and ecosystems that depend on it.

Ecological Focus

Water Studio has a strong and active focus on the intersection of hydrology and ecology. Jamie works closely with ecological specialists to ensure that stormwater systems and drainage designs actively support the habitat requirements of species listed under both state and federal endangered and protected species legislation, including the Growling Grass Frog and Glossy Grass Skink. This habitat-informed approach to hydrological design is increasingly critical as development pressures intensify across Victoria’s growth corridors, and it is an area where Water Studio brings genuine specialist capability.

Industry Leadership and Advocacy

Jamie has been an active contributor to the Victorian water and drainage industry for over two decades, not just as a practitioner, but as someone who has consistently given time and energy to raising the bar across the profession. Jamie served on the committee of the Stormwater Industry Association Victoria for many years, ultimately serving as President. That association has been a platform for presenting research, contributing to policy discussions, and connecting practitioners across the state. More recently, Jamie has brought that same energy to the Association of Land Development Engineers (ALDE), where she is currently Vice President, leads the Main Drainage subcommittee, and serves as Conference Chair for the 2026 ALDE Conference in Melbourne. ALDE is one of Victoria’s most active forums for land development engineering practice, and Jamie’s involvement reflects a commitment to shaping how the industry thinks about drainage, water quality, and development outcomes. Jamie is also a founding member of the Victorian Urban Drainage Manual (VUDM) Technical Group and remains an active contributor to that body of work, helping to write and shape the guidance documents that practitioners and councils across Victoria rely on every day.

Capacity Building and Training

One of the things Water Studio does that sets it apart is a deep commitment to building knowledge and capability across the industry. Jamie has designed and delivered training programs for council engineers, landscape architects, and development teams covering wetland design and maintenance, sediment basin assessment, stormwater asset review, and practical drainage compliance. These sessions draw on real project experience and are built to give practitioners tools they can actually use. This training work extends to workshops, panel discussions, and industry presentations, Jamie has presented at Stormwater Victoria conferences on topics including drainage scheme reform, integrated water management, and the practical implications of planning policy on water-sensitive design.

Working With Us

Water Studio operates as a focused, expert-led practice with a trusted network of specialist subconsultants,  including ecological, geotechnical, heritage, arboricultural, and survey professionals, to deliver complete project teams when projects require it. Whether you are a council, developer, utility, or community organisation, Water Studio can engage at the level your project needs – from a targeted peer review or technical briefing through to full project delivery from feasibility to construction.