Georges River Network Odour Reduction Program

Sydney Water is working to reduce wastewater odours and improve the performance of the wastewater network in the Georges River area.

Aerial view of the Liverpool Water Resource Recovery Facility

The Georges River Network Odour Reduction Program will reduce unpleasant odours and improve the performance of the wastewater network in areas around Fairfield, Liverpool and Glenfield.

Unpleasant odours are a normal part of managing our customers' wastewater, and they can happen from time to time. However, we know that sometimes these odours can be detected by our neighbours and impact them.

The Georges River Network Odour Reduction Program aims to reduce these impacts by upgrading and improving the local wastewater network. Over the next two years, we are:

• upgrading and installing new assets such as ventilation shafts, odour control units and wastewater pumping stations
• improving treatment processes at the three water resource recovery facilities in Fairfield, Liverpool and Glenfield
• monitoring wastewater odours using sensors and community feedback.

Your feedback

We're committed to working with our neighbours to ensure we are delivering reliable wastewater services and minimising any impacts from our work.

As part of the Georges River Network Odour Reduction Program, we want to hear from our neighbours about any experiences and concerns you may have about wastewater odours in your area. We want to know how wastewater odours may be impacting you and how we can improve our odour management. Even if you haven't experienced any issues, please complete the survey as all information is valuable.

Help us by completing our Neighbour Survey below.

Wastewater odours

Wastewater, also known as sewage, is the used water that goes down sinks, toilets and drains. Wastewater produces unpleasant odours because of biological activity caused by bacteria present in the wastewater. These bacteria break down organic materials in the wastewater, which produces many different types of odorous gases. The most common gases produced from wastewater are hydrogen sulphide (H2S) (rotten egg smell), ammonia (NH3) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Odours can occur in the network as wastewater leaves our customers' homes and businesses and moves through the pipes and pumping stations. Odours can also occur from our treatment plants, now known as water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs), where wastewater is treated to remove materials and impurities.

Wastewater odours can vary in their make-up and concentration at different points in the network and treatment stages. This is influenced by environmental and operational conditions, as well as by the characteristics of the wastewater itself.

To learn more about how we manage your wastewater, visit our website at sydneywater.com.au.