Recycled water network

Recycled water is wastewater that's been collected and treated so it can be re-used.

We own and operate 14 water recycling plants. Another two plants are operated by other companies on our behalf. Our Gerringong-Gerroa plant is operated by Veolia. The St Marys Advanced Water Treatment Plant is operated by Deerubbin Water Futures.

Our water recycling plants treat wastewater according to the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling. This ensures recycled water is safe and suitable for its intended use.

Recycled water can be used to:

  • water gardens, golf courses and parks
  • flush toilets
  • wash cars
  • fight fires.


It can also be used for some industrial purposes and to supplement river flow in the Hawkesbury-Nepean River. This saves water stored in dams for drinking and keeps the river healthy.

Read about our projects that help recycle water using sewer mining and stormwater harvesting.
 

All of our water recycling plants use multiple steps to treat wastewater so it can be safely used again. The level of treatment provided depends on how the recycled water will be used.

There are four main stages of treatment – primary, secondary, tertiary and advanced tertiary plus disinfection. Depending on the recycled water's end use, the treatment may involve some or all of these stages.

Primary treatment involves physical screens and grit removal.

Secondary treatment generally involves nutrient removal (using anoxic/aerobic biological reactors or Intermittently Decanted Aerated Lagoons (IDALs)) and clarification.

Tertiary treatment may involve coagulation/flocculation, clarification, media filtration and disinfection (chlorination and/or UV disinfection).

Treatment plant

Treatment level

Discharge
(Ml/day)

Discharge location

Bombo

Secondary and de-nitrification and disinfection

3.7
  • Headland north of Bombo Beach
  • Supplies to Minnamurra Golf Club

Castle Hill

Tertiary
(includes additional phosphorus removal and disinfection)

6.5
  • Cattai Creek
  • Supplies to Castle Hill Country Club

Gerringong-Gerroa

Partial tertiary
(includes screening, storm tank or primary sedimentation, ponding and chlorination)

1.26
  • Re-used for on-site agricultural irrigation
  • Excess discharged to sand dune systems. Once sand dunes reach capacity, excess is discharged to Crooked River

Glenfield

Partial tertiary
(includes screening, storm tank or primary sedimentation, ponding and chlorination)

0
  • Treated wastewater transported to Malabar
  • Occasionally discharged to Georges River in wet weather

Liverpool

Secondary
(includes screening, de-gritting, primary sedimentation, ponding and chlorination)

0
  • Treated wastewater transported to Malabar
  • Re-used at Liverpool Golf Course and Warwick Farm Race Course. Also supplies to Fairfield Water Recycling Plant (operated by Aquanet and Veolia Water) under Rosehill Recycled Water Scheme
  • Occasionally discharged to Georges River in wet weather

Picton

Tertiary
(includes additional phosphorus removal and disinfection)

1.5
  • Re-used on-site for agricultural irrigation precautionary discharge to Stone Quarry Creek

Penrith

Tertiary
(includes additional phosphorus and nitrogen removal and disinfection)

23.1
  • Re-used locally
  • Remainder transferred to St Marys Advanced Water Treatment Plant
  • Some excess discharged to Boundary Creek

Quakers Hill

Tertiary
(includes additional phosphorus and nitrogen removal and disinfection)

35.4
  • Re-used locally
  • Remainder transferred to St Marys Advanced Water Treatment Plant
  • Some excess discharged to Breakfast Creek

Richmond

Tertiary
(includes additional phosphorus removal and disinfection)

2.2
  • Re-used for irrigation at University of Western Sydney - Richmond Campus. Also Re-used for irrigation at Richmond Golf Course
  • Excess overflows to Rickabys Creek

Rouse Hill

Tertiary
(includes additional phosphorus and nitrogen removal and disinfection) also includes ultra-violet irradiation and super-chlorination for reuse water

15.3
  • Recycled back to households for non drinking use
  • Excess discharged to Second Ponds Creek via wetlands to Cattai Creek

St Marys

Tertiary
(includes ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, de-carbonation, additional phosphorous and nitrogen removal and disinfection)

39.2
  • Re-used locally and at Dunheved
  • Remainder transferred to St Marys Advanced Water Treatment Plant
  • Some excess discharged to South Creek

West Camden

Tertiary
(includes additional phosphorus removal and disinfection)

13.1
  • Re-used at Agricultural Institute
  • Remainder discharged via Matahill Creek to the Nepean River

Wollongong

Tertiary and disinfection

49.84
  • Re-used at BlueScope Steel
  • Remainder discharged via offshore outfall with diffuser zone

St Marys Advanced Water Treatment Plant

Reverse osmosis and ultra filtration

42
  • Receives flow from St Marys, Quakers Hill and Penrith WRP to produce highly treated water discharged to Boundary Creek under Western Sydney Replacement Flows Recycled Water Scheme

We do routine checks on the quality of our recycled water.

Our customers may use recycled water for:

  • industrial purposes
  • irrigation
  • approved uses in some residential areas, eg Rouse Hill residential scheme.


We check that the water:


If you live in an area that has recycled water or work for a company that uses recycled water, read more about using recycled water.

We use water from St Marys Advanced Water Treatment Plant to supplement flow in the Hawkesbury-Nepean River.

Find out about the water quality in our Advanced Water Treatment Plant.