Rosehill Recycled Water Scheme

The Rosehill Recycled Water Scheme is a private sector project that began operating in late October 2011 and supplies recycled water for industry and irrigation in western Sydney. This scheme is one of the water recycling projects under the NSW Government's Metropolitan Water Plan.

The $100 million scheme will supply high quality recycled water to five of Sydney's largest industrial water users, as well as a racecourse, in the Rosehill and Smithfield areas:

• Shell Refining (Australia)
• Boral Australian Gypsum
• Visy Paper
• Marubeni Australia Power Services
• LyondellBasell Australia
• Sydney Turf Club - Rosehill Gardens Racecourse.

Supplying recycled water

Secondary treated wastewater from the Liverpool to Ashfield Pipeline is extracted and treated by ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis at the new water recycling plant at Fairfield. The high quality recycled water is suitable to use in cooling towers, boilers and some manufacturing processes, as well as for irrigation and firefighting.

The Fairfield plant will initially provide over three billion litres of recycled water each year to the six major customers. The scheme has been designed to be expanded and treat a further four billion litres a year for additional customers.

Scheme background

AquaNet Sydney built, owns and operates the recycled water supply network. The water recycling plant at Fairfield was built and is owned and operated by Veolia Water. AquaNet Sydney has an agreement with Veolia Water for treatment of the recycled water.

AquaNet Sydney and Veolia Water have obtained the required licences to operate the scheme and provide the recycled water to Sydney Water under the NSW Government’s Water Industry Competition Act 2006.

Sydney Water purchases the recycled water from AquaNet Sydney and sells it to the six foundation customers. The foundation customers have recycled water supply agreements with Sydney Water.

The Water Industry Competition Act 2006 establishes a clear access and licensing regime for the water industry and gives more opportunities for the private sector to become involved in the NSW water industry. The Rosehill scheme is the first to be delivered under the Act.

Sydney Water prepared a Contract Summary (PDF - 292KB) report on the Rosehill Recycled Water Scheme, to comply with the Working with Government - Guidelines for Privately Financed Projects (December 2008).