Sydney Water, Australia

What is it?

The water and wastewater utility for over four million consumers in Sydney, the Illawarra region, and the Blue Mountains.

What has it done?

Sydney Water has taken decisive action to drought-proof the water supply for Australia’s most populous city, whilst implementing a water conservation strategy that has yielded an 18% reduction in overall water consumption. The new 250,000m³/d SWRO desalination plant at Kurnell was commissioned on time and under budget, while Sydney Water continues to roll out an array of recycled water schemes, both public and private, that will meet up to 12% of greater Sydney’s water needs by 2015.

What makes it special?

• Securing greater Sydney’s long-term water supply required innovation across the board. Sydney Water’s strategic water resourcing vision has been delivered through dynamic public-private partnerships and public information programmes.

• Initiatives such as Australia’s largest residential recycled water scheme are nothing short of inspirational. On every environmental criterion, Sydney Water’s approach has been exemplary.

• Prolific energy consumption is inherent in the business of all water utilities, but Sydney Water is confronting that challenge with enterprise. Wind energy offsets, hydropower and bio-gas cogeneration are among the pillars of Sydney Water’s strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2020.