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Our systems and operations
Sydney Water supplies water, wastewater, recycled water and some stormwater services to over 4.4 million people in Sydney, the Illawarra and the Blue Mountains.
Water services
Water supply systems
for Sydney,
Blue Mountains
& the Illawarra.
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larger image
Every day, Sydney Water supplies over 1.4 billion litres of water. About 80 per cent of our supply comes from Warragamba Dam. In addition to dam water, water from Sydney's desalination plant supplies up to 1.5 million people as part or all of their water supply.
Dam water is treated at nine water filtration plants. Water from the desalination plant is treated on site at Kurnell.
Treated water is delivered to customers by a network of over 21,000 km of water pipes, 265 reservoirs and 171 pumping stations.
Recycled water
Recycled Water systems
for Sydney,
Blue Mountains
& the Illawarra
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Water recycling schemes reduce demand on water supplies as well as reducing the amount of wastewater.
In 2010-2011, nearly 50 billion litres of recycled water was used in Sydney and the Illawarra. Most of this water would otherwise have come from our drinking supplies. This is increasing to 70 billion litres a year by 2015, providing 12% of our water needs.
Wastewater services
Wastewater systems
for Sydney,
Blue Mountains
& the Illawarra
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larger image
Over 1.3 billion litres of wastewater is collected and treated a day. This is done by a network of 24,000 km of wastewater pipes, 670 pumping stations and 13 water recycling plants and 16 treatment plants.
After wastewater is collected and treated, it is reused or released into rivers or the ocean. Plants located inland treat waste to a high level so it can be released into rivers. Three of the treatment plants are wet weather treatment plants (Fairfield, Bellambi and Port Kembla). These are only used during major storms.
The biosolids produced and captured are used in agriculture, composting or land rehabilitation.
Stormwater services
Stormwater network map
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Stormwater is rainwater that runs from roofs, roads and parks and into stormwater drains to creeks, the harbour and the ocean.
Sydney Water manages 440 km of stormwater channels and conduits mainly in south and south-west Sydney, as well as flood-prone areas and trunk drainage at Rouse Hill.
Sydney Water works with local councils and other agencies to manage the stormwater system in Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Illawarra.
The NSW Government is funding about 70 stormwater initiatives through the Climate Change Fund and Urban Sustainability Grants. These schemes capture and reuse stormwater and will save over 1.3 billion litres of water a year. Stormwater reuse projects contribute to the recycling target of supplying 70 billion litres a year by 2015.
