Media Release

05 Sep 2007

Sydney Water and Penrith City Council to save over 90 million litres per year

Two separate water saving initiatives in Penrith will save over 90 million litres of drinking water per year.

The initiatives are a new recycled water project recently up and running at Penrith, and water saving measures implemented as part of Sydney Water’s Every Drop Counts Business Program.

Water recycling project

The joint Sydney Water/Penrith City Council recycled water project, worth around $410,000, has increased the number of playing fields in the area using recycled water for irrigation.

Sydney Water has been providing recycled water to Penrith City Council to irrigate Hickey’s Park since 1993.

The new recycled water scheme is now providing Greygums Oval, Andrews Road baseball complex and Nepean Rugby Park with recycled water, saving 18 million litres of drinking water per year.

Sydney Water installed new pumps at Penrith Sewage Treatment Plant. Penrith City Council built a pipeline to transport the recycled water to the sporting fields, which are located within two kilometres of the plant.

Sydney Water is working with Penrith Council and the Department of planning on a second stage for this scheme. A further 1.7 billion litres of recycled water each year may ultimately be provided for future schemes in the next stage.

These include other Council sites, new residential growth at West ADI, Penrith Lakes, the North Army Land and Panthers.

Every Drop Counts Business Program

In addition, Penrith City Council has been a member of Sydney Water’s Every Drop Counts Business Program since April 2002.

Council had reduced its drinking water consumption by an outstanding 73 million litres a year, demonstrating its commitment to save water.

Council has achieved these water savings through identifying its high water using properties, conducting water audits and installing water efficient fittings.

Ripples Leisure Centre, the Penrith Swim Centre and Council’s Depot are a few properties that have been retrofitted with water efficient fixtures.

Council is a very active member of the program and is involved in pilot studies for water use in aquatic centres and best irrigation / management practices for parks.

Sydney Water looks forward to continuing its partnership with Council to achieve even more water savings in the future through a program targeting small to medium water using properties.

All 44 councils in greater Sydney have now joined Sydney Water’s Every Drop Counts Business Program.

The program’s 369 members made up of councils, government agencies and businesses are saving around 34 million litres per day or over 12 billion litres per year.

In 2006, Sydney Water won the prestigious international award, the Stockholm Industry Water Award for its Every Drop Counts Business Program.

 

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