- 2010 Metropolitan Water Plan
- Community planning principles
- Engaging communities
- Understanding climate variability and climate change
- Creating a dynamic private water industry
Metropolitan Water Plan
The NSW Government's Metropolitan Water Plan outlines the mix of measures that ensure Sydney, the Illawarra and the Blue Mountains (greater Sydney) have enough water now and for the future. The Metropolitan Water Directorate leads a whole-of-government approach to implementing and updating the Metropolitan Water Plan.
In the face of severe drought, which affected at least 80 percent of the state between 2002 and mid-2007, the government developed the 2004 Metropolitan Water Plan. The plan was designed to be flexible and has since undergone two major reviews.
The Metropolitan Water Plan is reviewed periodically. These reviews enable us to adapt to challenges such as our highly variable climate, droughts, climate change and a growing population, and to update the plan taking account of the latest data, techniques and research.
The review of the 2006 Metropolitan Water Plan was overseen by the Metropolitan Water Independent Review Panel. It has shown that greater Sydney's water supply is secure to at least 2025. While we need to maintain our focus on achieving water efficiency and recycling targets, there are now further opportunities to ensure that river health is protected.
The 2010 Metropolitan Water Plan sets out how the NSW Government will:
- provide a secure supply of water to meet the medium-term needs of a growing city, while keeping long-term goals in mind (a key concern for the community)
- help protect the health of our precious rivers
- ensure our water supplies are adequate during drought
- minimise costs to the community.
The 2010 plan will continue to focus on four main areas to secure our water for life:
Dams - continuing to provide most of Sydney's drinking water
Recycling - reducing demand for drinking water
Desalination - having capacity to supply up to 15 percent of Sydney's current needs (90 billion litres a year)
Water efficiency - reducing demand for water by households, government and business (145 billion litres a year by 2015).
Together with the plan's adaptive approach, these key measures prepare greater Sydney for drought, variable rainfall, potential impacts of climate change, and a growing population. The plan secures our water for life, which means water for people and the environment.
You can download a copy of the 2010 Metropolitan Water Plan in-full or the 2010 Metropolitan Water Plan Summary. You can also view the individual chapters here. For a quick round-up, take a look at our five-minute summary clip.