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Wastewater systems
Wastewater Systems
for Sydney,
Blue Mountains
& the Illawarra
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Wastewater is the used water and sewage that goes down sinks, toilets and outside drains. This enters the wastewater or sewerage system which is owned and operated by Sydney Water. The system is made up of 23,500 kilometres of sewerage pipes, sewage treatment plants and sewage pumping stations. Another 20,000 kilometres of pipes are located on private land owned by customers.
The sewerage system consists of 25 separate systems, 8 draining to coastal sewage treatment plants and 17 draining to inland sewage treatment plants. These are licensed by the Department of Environment and Conservation which sets performance standards and monitoring requirements.
Most of the system is gravity fed, following natural catchment drainage lines, although transport to treatment plants is assisted by 659 sewage pumping stations.
Once the wastewater arrives at sewage treatment plants, located near the ocean or a river, the wastewater is then treated and discharged to waterways, or in some cases, recycled.
Other waste materials collected at the treatment plants such as grit, which can not be recycled is sent to landfill.
