Policy document number: BMIS0260.01 Version: 6 Last updated: 10 November 2025
1. Overview
1.1 At a glance
Sydney Water is committed to the public health of all our customers and communities and work to always deliver recycled water suitable for its intended end use.
1.2 Scope
This policy applies to all Sydney Water employees and contractors that operate under Sydney Water's licence and to any person or organisation acting for or representing Sydney Water. This covers all aspects of the business, including planning, strategy, community engagement, learning and development, research, risk, assurance, operations and management.
1.3 Objective
Sydney Water is committed to supporting the public health of all of our customers by recycled water that is fit for purpose.
2. Policy in Detail
We are committed to the principles of a circular economy. Recycled water is a valuable resource which can meet customer and environmental water demands and support increased resilience of our water supply. We are committed to protecting public health and the environment through the delivery of fit-for-purpose recycled water to our customers.
To demonstrate this, we will:
- maintain a recycled water management system that is consistent with the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling to manage health and environmental risks, and any requirements relating to water recycling specified by NSW Health and the Public Health Act 2010.
- ensure that the recycled water management system is fully implemented and that all relevant activities are carried out in accordance with it, and to the satisfaction of NSW Health
- ensure our management system incorporates planning, design, construction and operation of our systems and considers a catchment to customer
- ensure there are pathways to manage excess or out of specification recycled water, including environmental discharge to waterways, meeting the requirements of the EPA
- manage and operate our recycled water assets effectively and efficiently to support the safe and reliable supply to our customers that meets the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling
- undertake accurate, timely and meaningful reporting that supports confidence in our recycled water supplies
- ensure effective emergency and incident response management is in place and routinely tested
- promote awareness of recycled water quality management amongst employees, contractors, and the community and ensure that our staff and contractors are cognisant of their role in the supply of recycled water
- engage in the development of industry regulation and guidelines, and undertake research and innovation
- use recycled water management system outputs to inform long-term planning, given our role in integrated water cycle management and water conservation for the Greater Sydney region
- pursue improvements to recycled water management considering our customers, our regulators, industry partners and our business drivers, and to meet objectives of our Strategy and Plan
- plan and prepare for the impacts of climate change.