Sydney Water's operating licence 2010 - 2015

Sydney Water's Operating Licence (PDF - 1439KB) enables Sydney Water to supply water, wastewater, recycled water and some stormwater services in Sydney, the Illawarra and Blue Mountains. The new Licence is effective from 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2015.

It reflects public expectations of Sydney Water's performance and provides key requirements to ensure that Sydney Water operates in line with our objectives to protect public health, protect the environment and be a successful business. The Operating Licence sets out:

• drinking water (health and aesthetic) requirements
• infrastructure performance requirements
• customer and consumer rights
• system performance standards (continuity, water pressure and sewage overflows)
• water efficiency targets, demand management and recycling requirements
• environmental indicators and management
• The Customer Contract

Key changes to the 2010-2015 licence include:

• updates to the Customer Contract
• stronger customer protection measures for residential customers experiencing financial difficulty
• new leakage response times
• new system performance standards
• promoting, fostering and encouraging recycling and meeting any recycling targets set by the Minister for Water under the Metropolitan Water Plan
• implementing any recycling schemes indicated by the Minister for Water (where financially viable)
• completing planning and approvals and work on any schemes already underway as part of the Priority Sewerage Program
• starting work on the Bargo and Cowan sewerage schemes by 2015.

Sydney Water will also continue to:

• maintain the water use target of 329 litres a person a day
• promote water efficiency programs
• consider water efficiency in planning activities
• ensure leakage from our water system is at or below 105 megalitres a day.

The water leakage target will be reviewed in 2011.

Sydney Water's performance under the Operating Licence is assessed by a yearly operational audit that is managed by Sydney Water's Licence Regulator, The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART). The audit results are presented to the Minister for Water, who provides this advice to Parliament.