Malabar System Investment Program

Upgrading wastewater infrastructure across Sydney

We're upgrading the Malabar system over the next few years to meet future demand. This work will make our water services more efficient and sustainable.

About this project

Sydney Water is delivering the Malabar System Investment Program — a major upgrade to one of Sydney’s largest and most important wastewater systems.

The Malabar wastewater system services more than one third of Sydney’s population, supporting communities across South and West Sydney. As our city continues to grow, parts of this network need to be upgraded to increase treatment capacity, improve reliability and protect local waterways.

Although the Malabar treatment facility is located in the eastern suburbs, it is connected to a broader wastewater network that stretches across a large part of Sydney. It collects wastewater from communities including Parramatta, Fairfield, Liverpool, Glenfield and surrounding areas, where it is then treated and safely released to protect local waterways.

The Malabar System Investment Program includes upgrades to treatment plants, pipelines and supporting infrastructure across several locations. Together, these improvements will help ensure the wastewater system continues to operate safely and efficiently for decades to come.

Where work is happening

Projects under the Malabar System Investment Program include:

• Upgrades at Fairfield Wet Weather Treatment Plant
• Upgrades at Liverpool Water Resource Recovery Facility, including construction of a new Advanced Water Treatment Plant
• Upgrades at Glenfield Water Resource Recovery Facility
• Projects currently in planning stage.

The projects in planning stage will be delivered in stages across the wastewater network through coordinated packages designed to improve system capacity and reliability. These include:

Network‑wide supporting works

These works include new and upgraded pipelines connecting facilities, odour control systems, and other supporting infrastructure across the network.

Liverpool Water Cycle Management Project

This project is currently in the early planning phase. Investigations and environmental assessments are underway to inform a future Review of Environmental Factors. The project is exploring options to safely treat and release highly treated water to support the long‑term performance of the wastewater system while protecting the Georges River.

Each project plays an important role in improving how wastewater is managed across greater Sydney.

Why these upgrades are important

Upgrading the Malabar wastewater system will help:

• increase wastewater treatment capacity to support housing and population growth
• improve reliability across the network to reduce breakdowns, overflows and pressure on ageing infrastructure
• reduce environmental impacts by improving the quality of treated water released to the environment
• reduce odour for surrounding communities through upgraded odour control systems at key network sites
• increase resilience to extreme rainfall and climate impacts ensuring the system can better manage wet weather flows
• improve operational efficiency by enabling better system monitoring, automation and real time management.

These improvements will help ensure Sydney’s wastewater system continues to safely support our growing communities.

What happens next

Some projects will involve construction activity at different stages of the program. Sydney Water will continue to keep communities informed as planning and construction progress.

The Malabar System Investment Program includes projects across different locations.