- Message from the Premier
- Metropolitan Water Plan
- Water for Life Education Program
- News
- Frequently asked questions
2007 Progress Report
The 2006 Metropolitan Water Plan outlines the NSW Government's plan for securing Sydney's water future, and includes a commitment to prepare a progress report every year, to monitor implementation of the plan. The Metropolitan Water Plan is a key strategy to deliver the State Plan (Priority E1).
The 2007 Progress Report was released by Water Utilities Minister, Nathan Rees on 27 September 2007.
The Progress Report has been endorsed by the Metropolitan Water Independent Review Panel, confirming that the Metropolitan Water Plan is on track to secure Sydney’s water supply.
Highlights of the Progress Report include:
- the volume of recycled water has risen from 15 billion litres to over 22 billion litres a year, with the commissioning of Australia’s largest industrial recycling project in Wollongong
- the Sydney Catchment Authority has modified its infrastructure and installed new pumps to access deeper parts of Warragamba and Nepean Dams, increasing long term water availability by 40 billion litres a year
- the Sydney Catchment Authority is progressing its extensive investigations of groundwater bores in the Kangaloon, Leonay and Wallacia areas that will supply up to 45 billion litres a year for two to three years during a severe drought
- Sydney now uses the same amount of water as it did in 1974, even though there are one million more people now living in greater Sydney
- long term water saving rules, to commence once drought restrictions are lifted, have been announced
- Sydney Water has signed a contract for the construction and operation of a 250 million litre a day desalination plant at Kurnell, to be 100 per cent powered by accredited renewable energy
- the decision affirmed to commence new environmental flows for the Shoalhaven River, when drought restrictions are lifted
- the decision to commence environmental releases from Avon Dam for the very first time, when drought restrictions are eased
- at least one in four homes in Sydney has participated in Sydney Water’s WaterFix Program and now use water-efficient showerheads and other water saving devices. That’s 430,000 households or the equivalent of every household in Adelaide participating in this program
- over 360 businesses have participated in Sydney Water’s Every Drop Counts Program, saving 11 billion litres of water a year.
- in addition, $30 million has been allocated to help businesses save water and energy and increase the Climate Change Fund to a total of $340 million
- the Government has established Australia’s first state-based access regime under the Water Industry Competition Act, to make it easier for the private sector to invest in recycling and to facilitate the best use of existing infrastructure.
Progress has been made in all areas of the Plan. Already, 32 Plan actions have been completed with a further 43 well underway.
A number of frequently asked questions for the Progress Report have also been prepared, including:
- How is the community involved in securing Sydney’s water for the long term?
- Isn’t it already known that climate change is going to dry up the dam catchments?
- What’s been achieved so far to increase and diversify water supplies to insure against drought?
- What’s been achieved so far to increase recycling?
- What’s been achieved so far to reduce demand for water?
- What’s been achieved so far to improve river health and the environment?
- What’s been achieved so far to encourage innovation and further recycling by the private sector?
- What's next?
Download a copy of the 2007 Progress Report (pdf 5Mb).