Once built, these large pipes will transfer drinking water from a nearby reservoir to the smaller pipes that supply homes and businesses.
Log in
Supporting growth in the South West
We're building more water infrastructure to support expected growth in the South West Growth Area and parts of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.
About this project
The NSW Government has identified the Austral–Leppington catchment as a key growth area. It sits along the eastern edge of the South West Growth Area and includes parts of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. This catchment is expected to grow significantly – from 2,300 homes in 2022 to around 38,000 by 2056.
To support this growth, we're planning:
a new drinking water pipeline along Edmondson Avenue in Austral
4 new drinking water pipelines in Leppington, with a section in Austral
a new drinking water pipeline from Cecil Park to the northern edge of Austral.
These 3 projects form the South West Growth Area Drinking Water Program. Each is at a different stage of planning and design.
Edmondson Avenue drinking water pipeline
We're planning to build a new drinking water pipeline in Austral. This infrastructure will provide clean, reliable water to the local community. Once complete, it will support new housing and help drive economic growth in the region.
We've engaged with CMP Consulting Group to develop a detailed design for a 2.3 kilometre pipeline along Edmondson Avenue, from Craik Avenue and Fifteenth Avenue in the north to Ninth Avenue in the south. The design will consider site constraints, including the future widening of Edmondson Avenue and local ground conditions. This will help us choose the best alignment and prepare a Review of Environmental Factors for approval.
Subject to funding and environmental approvals, construction of the new pipeline is proposed to start in mid 2026 and be completed by late 2027.
From Februarty to March 2026, you may see our teams working along parts of Craik Avenue, Fifteenth Avenue, Edmondson Avenue and nearby streets such as Ninth Avenue. We'll be checking ground conditions, surveying the area and locating underground services. This work will help us plan and save time during construction.
See our latest project update below for details of our investigations.
Leppington drinking water pipelines
We've engaged Aurecon to carry out site investigations, develop a concept design and support the preparation of a Review of Environmental Factors for new drinking water pipelines in Leppington. These pipelines will also include sections in Austral and Rossmore.
The pipelines include:
a 555m metre pipeline along Eastwood Road, connecting to Bringelly Road, Leppington
a 1.8 kilometre pipeline along Dickson Road, connecting Ingleburn Road to Bringelly Road, Leppington
a 1.66 kilometre pipeline along Dickson Road and Ingleburn Road, Leppington
a 2.84 kilometre pipeline connecting Leppington Reservoir to Dickson Road, Leppington.
Subject to funding and environmental approvals, construction is expected to start in early 2027 and finish by mid 2028. We'll share more details as planning progresses this year.
Cecil Park drinking water pipeline
This project is in the planning phase and, like others in the program, is needed to support expected growth in the surrounding area.
This new pipeline alignment is proposed from Cecil Park to Austral via the Western Sydney Parklands. We are working to keep much of the pipe alignment within an existing utility easement, to stay within already disturbed areas of land and away from homes and bushland. Subject to funding and approvals, construction is expected to start in late 2026 and finish by late 2028.
We'll share more details as planning progresses.
Benefits
This new infrastructure will provide clean and reliable drinking water to the local community. When complete, it will support the development of new homes and the economic growth of the region.
Project updates
03 February 2026
Investigations happening in your area - Austral
Sydney Water is planning a new drinking water pipe along parts of Edmondson Avenue, Craik Avenue, Ninth Avenue and Fifteenth Avenue in Austral. This new infrastructure will support population and economic growth in the area.
Read more
09 December 2025
Community notification
Planning for new drinking water pipes in parts in parts of Leppington and Austral
Read more
FAQs
We are currently in the planning and design phase of the projects. We will know more about the pipeline locations as the planning and design phases progress.
We are using the limited capacity in the network to support development, however more pipes are needed for the large number of new homes expected in the South West Growth Area and nearby Aerotropolis. The new water infrastructure is planned to be operational from Q3 2027, pending approvals.
No, these are large pipes that take water from the reservoir to the suburb. Developers are responsible for installing the smaller pipes that service homes. For more information about connections visit Connections.
We are liaising with local councils, Transport for NSW, Sydney Trains, Greater Sydney Parklands, energy and utility providers, major developers, private property owners and Water NSW to ensure that the project is coordinated with other activities and infrastructure projects in the area.
We will prepare a Review of Environmental Factors (REFs) for each project in the SWGA Drinking Water program, which will assess the potential environmental impacts within the program and identify mitigation measures to avoid or minimise environmental impacts.
For example, this can include avoiding open trenching in the environmentally sensitive or culturally significant areas by boring the pipeline underground or completing work at specific times to avoid sensitive times for local animals or the community.
To minimise the impact on native plants and animals, the REF will be undertaken by an approved ecologist with mitigation measures implemented, based on their assessment.
The REFs will be prepared in accordance with Part 5 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.
Protecting the environment is a core value at Syndey Water. All efforts will be made to minimise the removal of trees. In the instance where trees must be removed, we will develop a replanting program.
Additionally, all areas disturbed by our construction activity will be restored as close as possible to their prior condition at the end of construction.
We will restore all roads, footpaths, kerb, guttering and verges impacted by our construction activity. When repairing roads, work is generally done in 2 stages:
- temporary restoration immediately after the pipeline installation
- permanent restoration once testing and commissioning is complete.
The permanent restoration of roads will be done in accordance with Transport for NSW and local council requirements.
We are in the planning and design phases of these projects. We will inform nearby homes and businesses about site investigations planned for the area.