FAQs

Sydney Water is constructing infrastructure to support the future population and economic growth of western Sydney. 

This includes the delivery of 6.8km of dual wastewater pressure mains from the SP1211 pumping station at Gurner Avenue, Austral to the Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre (AWRC) currently under construction in Kemps Creek. This project is expected to be completed in mid-late 2025 and is critical to the commissioning of the AWRC.

These pressure mains will be located within the local government areas of:

• Penrith City Council
• Liverpool City Council
• Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council
• Deerrubin Local Aboriginal Land Council.

The pipeline is located within landscapes which are typified by a mixture of urbanised areas associated with current residential and commercial developments and the Kemps Creek Nature Reserve. 

The pipelines run along local roads, through private properties and crosses major roads including Elizabeth Drive and the M12 Motorway. 

The KCPM project will improve wastewater services in the South Western Growth Area, one of the NSW State Government’s three designated growth areas in Southwestern Sydney. 

This area will see substantial growth over the coming years, increasing from 2,300 dwellings in 2022 to approximately 38,000 dwellings by 2056.

This project is critical to the commissioning of the AWRC. This new wastewater infrastructure will benefit the community by:

• providing improved wastewater collection to support the growing population and development of the region
• providing protection of public health and the community by reducing the risk of wastewater being released into our waterways.

Wastewater pressure mains are pipelines that carry wastewater under pressure from a pump station to a wastewater treatment plant. Pumps or compressors located in a wastewater pump station, provide force for wastewater to travel through the wastewater mains.

For more information on Sydney Water’s Pressure Wastewater System please visit our website at: https://www.sydneywater.com.au/content/dam/sydneywater/documents/pressure-sewerage-systems-technical-specification.pdf

Sydney Water has engaged delivery partner, Quickway, to deliver this project.

Construction on this project began in July 2024 and completion is expected in late 2025, weather permitting.

The construction methodology used to deliver the dual-pressure mains includes open trenching and trenchless methods. The open trenching method will be used in areas that are accessible and have minimal environmental constraints. 

There are three major trenchless sections, including a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) section from Floribunda Road beneath Kemps Creek Nature Reserve to 195 Gurner Avenue, and micro-tunnelling sections from Exeter Road to Pratten Street and across Elizabeth Drive, to minimise environmental and community impacts.

Construction work will also include concrete cutting, excavation, spoil removal, pipe layering, back filling, and temporary restoration.

Our standard work hours will be:

• Mondays to Fridays, from 7am to 6pm
• Saturdays from 8am to 1pm. 

Extended hours may be needed from time to time to meet project delivery timeframes. If this is necessary, we will notify any affected residents in advance.

Kemps Creek

Austral

We will notify residents in these streets about any changes to traffic, measures to protect public safety and our work hours before we start work. 

• 35t Excavators
• 20t Excavators
• 5t Excavators
• Dump Trucks and Truck and Dogs
• Tipper trucks
• Trench Padfoot Rollers
• Smooth Drum Rollers
• Horizontal Directional Drilling truck and equipment
• Water Cart
• Boring Rig
• Grader
• Semi-Trailer/ flatbed trucks

Quickway will contact all directly and indirectly impacted landowners on behalf of Sydney water regarding construction of the pipelines.

You can contact us on our 24hr complaints contact number below.

To learn more about the project please contact our Community Engagement Team by:

• Calling: 1300 98 94 96
• Emailing: kempscreekwastewater@sydneywater.com.au
• Visiting the project’s website: sydneywatertalk.com.au/kempscreekmains

We are committed to minimising and managing potential impacts to the community during the construction. To manage any impacts during the construction phase, a Construction Environmental Management Plan has been prepared and includes mitigation measures to manage:

• dust and noise
• sediment and run-off
• traffic management in and around worksites
• site deliveries and lay down areas
• working hours
• pedestrian management
• drilling work and pipeline trenching
• vegetation protection
• spoil management.

There will be some increased truck movements and traffic changes including partial road closures. We will cordon off work areas from the public, as well as implement traffic control and message boards to advise of any traffic changes.

Some parking may be disrupted due to construction vehicles and work zones. If the team requires street parking, they will ensure that pedestrians can still use pavements and that any parking is considerate of road users and residents in the area. 

Traffic management will be in place in these areas and emergency service vehicles will continue to move through these areas normally. 

There may be some noise and vibration generated from work, truck movements, concrete cutting and installation of road plates (if required). These impacts will be monitored, and the team will make every effort to ensure any noise and disturbance to the community is kept to a minimum.

No, your services will not be impacted while we are installing the pipelines.

The wastewater system design has been reviewed prior to construction and includes features aimed at reducing or removing odour from pipelines and pumping stations, such as passive vent filters. 

Once the infrastructure has been built, we will test for odour using handheld equipment and sensors to ensure there is no odour which may impact surrounding residents. If we detect a problem, we will investigate the cause and implement a suitable solution.

Sydney Water has prepared a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) for the project. 

The REF has assessed the potential environmental impacts associated with each project and identified mitigation measures that avoid or minimise potential impacts. For example, this can include avoiding open trenching in the environmentally sensitive or culturally significant areas by boring the pipeline underground or completing work at specific times to avoid sensitive times for the community or local fauna. 

The REF has been prepared in accordance with Part 5 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

Sometimes, the work can involve trimming and removing trees located close to the pipeline construction site.  

A survey of local tree species and vegetation is always taken as part of the environmental assessment process in the REF to assess their conditions before work commences.

Sydney Water is committed to providing the best outcomes for the environment and will have environmental measures in place to reduce impacts. The importance of trees and green spaces in our community, which provide shade and help cool our urban areas, cannot be underestimated.

During the design phase and construction planning, we’ve investigate ways to reduce impacts to vegetation communities, including choosing non-disruptive methods of construction, such as boring under the vegetation.

Any trees and / or vegetation removed during investigation and/or construction will be reinstated under the requirements of the Sydney Water Act and where necessary, in agreement with private landowners.

Sydney Water is committed to keeping you informed and will provide accurate and timely information with door knocks, construction notifications and project updates throughout the project. 

If you wish to subscribe to email updates, please fill out this online registration form. 

You can contact the project team by:

Phone: 1300 98 94 96

Email: kempscreekwastewater@sydneywater.com.au 

If you need an interpreter, call the number listed below:

Interpreter service 13 14 50

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