FAQs

The Richmond System Wastewater Upgrade is a program of work to increase the capacity of the wastewater system in Richmond and North Richmond to collect, treat, transport and recycle wastewater.  

Our aim is to protect public health by providing reliable and efficient wastewater services and support the state government’s objective to build more housing in areas like Richmond and North Richmond.

Our work will include:

• Increase the capacity of the Richmond Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) to treat and recycle more wastewater
• Construct a 7 km transfer pipeline to move wastewater from North Richmond to the Richmond Water Resource Recovery Facility
• Decommission the North Richmond Wastewater Treatment Plant and build a new, improved pump station on the site
• Upgrade of three existing Sewer Pumping Stations
• Upgrade wastewater pipelines in the North Richmond township to manage greater volumes of wastewater
• Upgrade Sydney Water assets which manage and prevent wastewater overflows.

 * Please note that dates may be subject to change

Why is Sydney Water undertaking this project?

Richmond and North Richmond are currently serviced by independent wastewater systems on either side of the Hawkesbury River. Future population growth forecasts over the next 30 years show that we need to futureproof the wastewater system in Richmond and North Richmond by expanding its capacity.  

Our objective is to:

• Protect everyone’s health
• Meet Sydney Water’s statutory and regulatory obligations
• Increase the capacity of wastewater systems for our customers
• Support NSW Government’s ‘building the state’ Housing Acceleration Program
• Provide local jobs for around 200 people.

Sydney Water and its delivery partner BMD Constructions are working together to deliver this project by the end of 2025.  The contract was awarded to our delivery partner in April 2023.

The project is in the final stages of design completion and site investigations in preparation for the start of pipeline construction between the Richmond and North Richmond plants in August 2024.  Construction of the Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) in Richmond has already started.

The 7-kilometre pipeline we are constructing to connect Richmond and North Richmond plants will be constructed in stages over the next 12-16 months.

Stage 1 North Richmond

We are starting construction in mid-August 2024 and expect the work to be completed by early 2025.   Our program of work includes:

• Vegetation and weed clearing and pruning
• Installing a new sewer pipeline connection
• Installing new wastewater assets including emergency relief structures, sewer rising mains and replacing manhole covers.

The construction methods we will use to install these new assets include;

• Open trenching - digging a trench (typically in the road reserve or adjacent to the road kerb) in 3 metre lengths to lay the pipe before restoring the area
• Micro-tunnelling - is a trenchless technique which uses a remotely controlled boring machine to excavate a tunnel and concurrently install pipes.
• Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) – used to create an underground passage for the pipelines. This is a surface-to-surface drilling method using a drilling rig and a ground underbore machine

This is a description of the assets we are installing:

Amplification mains - where a larger main size is required to serve a community because the existing main size doesn't meet the minimum required under the regulation codes. 

Emergency relief structures (ERS) - are used to help prevent wastewater overflows from being released through maintenance holes or private plumbing. 

Sewer rising mains - these sewers are pressurised by pumping. Rising mains are usually of the same pipe materials and laid at similar depths to water mains, although the internal pressure is often lower than that in many water mains.

We will notify local residents 7 days before our work starts onsite and we will have traffic management onsite throughout our work to make sure the community and our project team are safe.

All construction works are planned to be completed in 2026.

Sydney Water is committed to keeping stakeholders informed and will provide accurate and timely information throughout the project. 

We welcome community feedback and enquiries on our projects and encourage everyone to get involved in the conversation via Sydney Water Talk.

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

If you would like more information about the project, please call 1800 010 086 or email richmondwsu@sydneywater.com.au

Our standard work hours will be Monday to Friday 7 am to 6 pm and Saturday 8 am to 1 pm.

No construction works will be planned for on Sundays or Public Holidays

From time to time, we may need to work at night to avoid peak traffic times. We will notify the affected residents 7 days before starting night works. There may also be occasions when we need to work at night.  Before we can work at night, or out of published work hours we must complete a permit and provide details of how we will limit the impact of work on local residents by minimising noise.  We will notify residents of the intended work hours and speak directly with affected residents before the work commences.

No, your wastewater and water services will not be impacted while we are working on the upgrade.

We may require access to a small number of properties during this phase to investigate existing Sydney Water assets

If your property is going to be directly impacted by the investigation work, the new pipeline or surrounding construction, our community engagement team will contact you.

The new pipeline is a transfer pipe between the North Richmond Treatment plant and the Richmond Water Recycling Plant and you will not be able to connect to it. 

 If you need your property to be connected to the existing Sydney Water wastewater system, you will need to submit an application to Sydney Water.

 A water servicing coordinator can help with your application to adjust, extend or connect to Sydney Water pipes. Coordinators can answer questions about your application and facilitate the project management, design, and construction of any required work. They are not employed by Sydney Water. 

For more information, please refer to our Property Development Connection Application Water servicing coordinators (sydneywater.com.au)

No, these are two independent projects and whilst we are working with Transport for NSW to align our plans, the wastewater network upgrades do not have anything to do with the bypass project.

Both agencies are working to different timelines and requirements for their projects. 

The investigation will be completed by a:

• Site survey: to determine property boundaries and locations of work

• Geotechnical survey: Potholing to determine soil types beneath the ground surface and any ground water present. All areas disturbed will be reinstated; and Potholing and survey to locate existing services and drainage; and underground services locating, including pipework, electrical and communications All areas disturbed will be reinstated. 

There will be some increased truck movements as we undertake geotechnical and half lane closures where potholing in road areas are required. This is mainly along Grose Vale Road and Francis Street. 

There may be some noise and vibration generated from work, trucks, concrete cutting, and installation of plates (if required). We will ensure to keep the noise and disturbances to the community at a minimum.

Any trees and / or vegetation removed during investigation and/or construction will be reinstated like for like or where necessary, in agreement with affected landowners.