Sydney Waters' approach to Stormwater Infrastructure Contribution Bonding for the remaining precincts (Bradfield, Badgerys Creek, Northern Gateway and Agri-business)

Sydney water is committed to delivering efficient and timely investment in the Aerotropolis precincts to support urban development. The information below outlines our approach to Stormwater Infrastructure Contribution Bonding for the remaining precincts (Bradfield, Badgerys Creek, Northern Gateway and Agri-business).

If you have planned development in these areas, we would welcome the opportunity to engage with you early to allow time to explore how the stormwater scheme can be optimised and integrated with your development to minimise costs and maximise developable land, whilst achieving the waterway health objectives.

Our innovative approach to managing stormwater in the Aerotropolis.

• To support liveable cities and healthy, resilient communities as Western Sydney grows, the New South Wales Government introduced new waterway health targets for the Wianamatta–South Creek catchment.
• Achieving these environmental, social and economic objectives required a new approach to planning growth to integrate water management early to protect sensitive waterways as development happens to prevent degradation, erosion and pollution.
• In 2022, Sydney Water was appointed by the New South Wales Government as the Regional Stormwater Authority for the Aerotropolis Initial Precincts. In this role we are delivering, managing and maintaining the regional stormwater network along with drinking water, wastewater and recycled water networks on behalf of the Government.
• This provides a once in a generation opportunity to rethink how we deliver essential infrastructure and services, integrating them with the natural landscape to create more sustainable, resilient and liveable places.

Delivering stormwater infrastructure as the region grows.

• Stormwater infrastructure requires significant investment and will be delivered gradually over the next 10-20 years in alignment with the predicted completion of the precincts to minimise and manage the impacts of development as it occurs in the Aerotropolis.
• To support development before the scheme designs and a registered Development Servicing Plan with IPART are finalised, Sydney Water will adopt a Stormwater Infrastructure Contribution Bond.
• This bonding amount acts as a ‘financial security’ and ensures all development across the Aerotropolis contribute to the cost of providing stormwater services and allows Sydney Water to progress Section 73 compliance certificates for development proceeding ahead of a registered Development Servicing Plan.
• A bonding rate of $1.019 million ($FY25) per developable hectare has been set, based on the efficiencies and learnings from IPART’s review of the Mamre Road scheme. This is 40 per cent less than initial estimates. This amount will increase each year in line with CPI.
• Sydney Water is working to further optimise the design and configuration for the scheme, while maintaining a focus on achieving the waterway health targets, and adopting lessons learnt from Mamre Road.
• The bonding amount may change as Sydney Water keeps working with developers and government to further optimise the scheme. Sydney Water will regularly review the bond amount and may update it to reflect future scheme costs.
• Once planning is complete, the draft Development Servicing Plan(s) and associated infrastructure charges will be publicly exhibited by Sydney Water in late 2025, before being registered with IPART.
• There may be one or more Development Servicing Plans registered for the Aerotropolis Initial Precincts based on the final scheme designs and configurations.

If there are any question, please email aerostormwater@sydneywater.com.au.