Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre
Sydney Water is building the Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre (AWRC) in Kemps Creek and associated pipelines to support population and economic growth in Western Sydney.
Construction Information
Our delivery partner, John Holland, is building the AWRC, a treated water pipeline from Kemps Creek to the Nepean River at Wallacia and a brine water pipeline from Kemps Creek to our existing wastewater network at Lansdowne. The pipelines are built underground, mostly in road reserves and public spaces. Some sections of pipeline will need to be installed across private properties.
Construction is underway in parts of Badgerys Creek, Bonnyrigg, Bonnyrigg Heights, Cabramatta, Cabramatta West, Canley Heights, Canley Vale, Cecil Hills, Cecil Park, Elizabeth Hills, Fairfield, Green Valley, Kemps Creek, Lansdowne, Lansvale, Luddenham, Mount Pritchard, Mulgoa and Wallacia.
Our standard working hours are 7 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday and 8 am to 1 pm Saturday. We will notify affected people in advance if we need to work outside these hours.
John Holland is working hard to minimise disturbance however some people may experience temporary traffic changes and construction impacts, mostly from machinery that will be used to dig trenches and lay pipes. Construction of the pipelines will occur until late 2025.
When completed in 2026, the AWRC will deliver sustainable wastewater services and high-quality recycled water to support a cooler, greener Western Parkland City, with a wide range of benefits for the entire community.
Community Benefits
Key benefits for the local community include:
- efficient and cost-effective wastewater services
- producing high-quality, recycled water for a range of potential reuses
- potential to recycle organic waste to generate energy
- protecting local waterways and aquatic ecosystems via environmental flows
- producing biosolids for an alternative to chemical fertilisers in agriculture
- enhancing biodiversity by greening Western Sydney with recycled water
- supporting the vision for the Western Parkland City, to create quality places for the community, keep water resources in the catchment to support greening and reduce heat island effects
- generating renewable energy within the AWRC
- a centre that can respond to changes in demand as our community grows.
The AWRC is Sydney Water’s largest infrastructure investment in Western Sydney and when competed will provide a foundation for a circular economy hub in the Parkland City.
Planning Process
In 2021, Sydney Water prepared an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to describe the project and assess its environmental and community impacts.
The EIS was submitted to the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) and put on public exhibition from 21 October to Wednesday 17 November 2021, giving the community an opportunity to review and make submissions on the findings presented in the document. DPE provided planning approval on 28 November 2022.
To learn more about the project’s planning process and approval, visit DPE’s Major Projects Planning Portal where you will find the below documentation:
- Environmental Impact Statement
- Submissions Report
- Amendment Report
- Submission Report – Project Amendments
- Minister’s Conditions of Approval
Please visit this page regularly for updates as the project progresses through its construction phase.
Sydney Water is building the Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre (AWRC) in Kemps Creek and associated pipelines to support population and economic growth in Western Sydney.
Construction Information
Our delivery partner, John Holland, is building the AWRC, a treated water pipeline from Kemps Creek to the Nepean River at Wallacia and a brine water pipeline from Kemps Creek to our existing wastewater network at Lansdowne. The pipelines are built underground, mostly in road reserves and public spaces. Some sections of pipeline will need to be installed across private properties.
Construction is underway in parts of Badgerys Creek, Bonnyrigg, Bonnyrigg Heights, Cabramatta, Cabramatta West, Canley Heights, Canley Vale, Cecil Hills, Cecil Park, Elizabeth Hills, Fairfield, Green Valley, Kemps Creek, Lansdowne, Lansvale, Luddenham, Mount Pritchard, Mulgoa and Wallacia.
Our standard working hours are 7 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday and 8 am to 1 pm Saturday. We will notify affected people in advance if we need to work outside these hours.
John Holland is working hard to minimise disturbance however some people may experience temporary traffic changes and construction impacts, mostly from machinery that will be used to dig trenches and lay pipes. Construction of the pipelines will occur until late 2025.
When completed in 2026, the AWRC will deliver sustainable wastewater services and high-quality recycled water to support a cooler, greener Western Parkland City, with a wide range of benefits for the entire community.
Community Benefits
Key benefits for the local community include:
- efficient and cost-effective wastewater services
- producing high-quality, recycled water for a range of potential reuses
- potential to recycle organic waste to generate energy
- protecting local waterways and aquatic ecosystems via environmental flows
- producing biosolids for an alternative to chemical fertilisers in agriculture
- enhancing biodiversity by greening Western Sydney with recycled water
- supporting the vision for the Western Parkland City, to create quality places for the community, keep water resources in the catchment to support greening and reduce heat island effects
- generating renewable energy within the AWRC
- a centre that can respond to changes in demand as our community grows.
The AWRC is Sydney Water’s largest infrastructure investment in Western Sydney and when competed will provide a foundation for a circular economy hub in the Parkland City.
Planning Process
In 2021, Sydney Water prepared an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to describe the project and assess its environmental and community impacts.
The EIS was submitted to the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) and put on public exhibition from 21 October to Wednesday 17 November 2021, giving the community an opportunity to review and make submissions on the findings presented in the document. DPE provided planning approval on 28 November 2022.
To learn more about the project’s planning process and approval, visit DPE’s Major Projects Planning Portal where you will find the below documentation:
- Environmental Impact Statement
- Submissions Report
- Amendment Report
- Submission Report – Project Amendments
- Minister’s Conditions of Approval
Please visit this page regularly for updates as the project progresses through its construction phase.
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February Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC
Share February Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC on Facebook Share February Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC on Twitter Share February Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC on Linkedin Email February Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC linkIn February 2025, work is planned for the Advanced Water Recycling Centre (AWRC) and along our pipeline alignment spanning from Wallacia, Luddenham, Badgerys Creek, Kemps Creek, Cecil Hills, Bonnyrigg, Cabramatta West, Cabramatta, Canley Vale, Fairfield, Lansdowne and Lansvale. This includes standard hours and out of hours works. We work outside our standard construction hours to reduce the impact on traffic, manage oversized deliveries, increase safety for workers and ensure the quality of the asset being built.
To read about our February works, download our notification. To learn more about the measures we implement to minimise noise and vibration, download a fact sheet.
We are also asking for feedback on our construction mitigation measures and upcoming out of hours work schedule. If you would like to provide feedback, you can complete a short survey. This survey is open until Thursday 30 January 2025.
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January Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC
Share January Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC on Facebook Share January Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC on Twitter Share January Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC on Linkedin Email January Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC linkIn January 2025, work is planned for the Advanced Water Recycling Centre (AWRC) and along our pipeline alignment spanning from Wallacia, Luddenham, Badgerys Creek, Kemps Creek, Cecil Hills, Bonnyrigg, Cabramatta West, Cabramatta, Canley Vale, Fairfield, Lansdowne and Lansvale. This includes standard hours and out of hours works. We work outside our standard construction hours to reduce the impact on traffic, manage oversized deliveries, increase safety for workers and ensure the quality of the asset being built.
To read about our January works, download our notification. To learn more about the measures we implement to minimise noise and vibration, download a fact sheet.
We are also asking for feedback on our construction mitigation measures and upcoming out of hours work schedule. If you would like to provide feedback, you can complete a short survey. This survey is open until Monday 30 December 2024.
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December Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC
Share December Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC on Facebook Share December Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC on Twitter Share December Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC on Linkedin Email December Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC linkWe would like to thank the community for their patience and support as we have built 41 kilometres of pipeline between Wallacia and Lansdowne. In December, we will continue to build the AWRC at Kemps Creek, complete minor repairs and landscaping along the pipeline alignment and demobilise temporary work compounds. We will be taking a brief break over the holiday season. No construction will occur at the AWRC from 6 pm Friday 20 December 2024 until 7 am Monday 6 January 2025.
To read about our December works, download our notification. To learn more about the measures we implement to minimise noise and vibration, download a fact sheet.
We are also asking for feedback on our construction mitigation measures and upcoming out of hours work schedule. If you would like to provide feedback, you can complete a short survey. This survey is open until Thursday 28 November 2024.
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Aerotropolis Community Drop-in Session 23 November
Share Aerotropolis Community Drop-in Session 23 November on Facebook Share Aerotropolis Community Drop-in Session 23 November on Twitter Share Aerotropolis Community Drop-in Session 23 November on Linkedin Email Aerotropolis Community Drop-in Session 23 November linkWe hope you can join us to learn more about projects in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis and Mamre Road precinct.
Date: 23 November 2024
Time: 10:00am – 1:00pm
Location: Bringelly Community Centre Address: 5 Greendale Road, Bringelly
NSW Government agencies, as well as Penrith and Liverpool Council, will be in attendance to provide information and answer questions about developments in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis and Mamre Road precincts
To find out more please consult the event flyer here
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Annual Sustainability Report - AWRC and Pipelines
Share Annual Sustainability Report - AWRC and Pipelines on Facebook Share Annual Sustainability Report - AWRC and Pipelines on Twitter Share Annual Sustainability Report - AWRC and Pipelines on Linkedin Email Annual Sustainability Report - AWRC and Pipelines linkSydney Water is excited to share its first annual Sustainability Report for the Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre and Pipelines.
The report showcases the sustainability targets, initiatives and processes implemented on the project and highlights the progress made so far. Included are six case studies profiling initiatives implemented during the design phase of the project, for the reporting period April 2023 until April 2024.
You can view a copy by clicking on this link.
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November Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC
Share November Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC on Facebook Share November Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC on Twitter Share November Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC on Linkedin Email November Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC linkIn November, work is planned for the Advanced Water Recycling Centre (AWRC) and along our pipeline alignment spanning from Wallacia, Luddenham, Badgerys Creek, Kemps Creek, Cecil Hills, Bonnyrigg, Cabramatta West, Cabramatta, Canley Vale, Fairfield, Lansdowne and Lansvale. This includes standard hours and out of hours works. We work outside our standard construction hours to reduce the impact on traffic, manage oversized deliveries, increase safety for workers and ensure the quality of the asset being built.
To read about our November works, download our notification. To learn more about the measures we implement to minimise noise and vibration, download a fact sheet.
We are also asking for feedback on our construction mitigation measures and upcoming out of hours work schedule. If you would like to provide feedback, you can complete a short survey. This survey is open until Wednesday 30 October 2024.
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October Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC
Share October Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC on Facebook Share October Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC on Twitter Share October Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC on Linkedin Email October Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC linkIn October, work is planned for the Advanced Water Recycling Centre (AWRC) and along our pipeline alignment spanning from Wallacia, Luddenham, Badgerys Creek, Kemps Creek, Cecil Hills, Bonnyrigg Heights, Bonnyrigg, Mount Pritchard, Cabramatta West, Cabramatta, Canley Vale, Fairfield, and Lansvale. This includes standard hours and out of hours works. We work outside our standard construction hours to reduce the impact on traffic, manage oversized deliveries, increase safety for workers and ensure the quality of the asset being built.
To read about our October works, download our notification. To learn more about the measures we implement to minimise noise and vibration, download a fact sheet.
If you would like to provide feedback about our out of hours schedule and mitigation measures, you can complete a short survey. This survey is open until Friday 27 September 2024.
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September Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC
Share September Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC on Facebook Share September Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC on Twitter Share September Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC on Linkedin Email September Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC linkIn September, work is planned for the Advanced Water Recycling Centre (AWRC) and along our pipeline alignment spanning from Wallacia, Luddenham, Badgerys Creek, Kemps Creek, Cecil Hills, Bonnyrigg Heights, Bonnyrigg, Mount Pritchard, Cabramatta West, Cabramatta, Canley Vale, Fairfield, and Lansvale. This includes standard hours and out of hours works. We work outside our standard construction hours to reduce the impact on traffic, manage oversized deliveries, increase safety for workers and ensure the quality of the asset being built.
To read about our September works, download our notification. To learn more about the measures we implement to minimise noise and vibration, download a fact sheet.
If you would like to provide feedback about our out of hours schedule and mitigation measures, you can complete a short survey. This survey is open until Thursday 29th of August 2024.
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August Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC
Share August Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC on Facebook Share August Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC on Twitter Share August Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC on Linkedin Email August Work Look Ahead – Pipelines and AWRC linkIn August, work is planned for the Advanced Water Recycling Centre (AWRC) and along our pipeline alignment spanning from Wallacia, Luddenham, Badgerys Creek, Kemps Creek, Cecil Hills, Bonnyrigg Heights, Bonnyrigg, Mount Pritchard, Cabramatta West, Cabramatta, Canley Vale, Fairfield, and Lansvale. This includes standard hours and out of hours works. We work outside our standard construction hours to reduce the impact on traffic, manage oversized deliveries, increase safety for workers and ensure the quality of the asset being built.
To read about our August works, download our notification. To learn more about the measures we implement to minimise noise and vibration, download a fact sheet.
If you would like to provide feedback about our out of hours schedule and mitigation measures, you can complete a short survey. This survey is open until Tuesday 30 July 2024.
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July Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC
Share July Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC on Facebook Share July Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC on Twitter Share July Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC on Linkedin Email July Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC linkIn July, work is planned for the Advanced Water Recycling Centre (AWRC) and along our pipeline alignment spanning from Wallacia, Luddenham, Badgerys Creek, Kemps Creek, Cecil Hills, Bonnyrigg Heights, Bonnyrigg, Mount Pritchard, Cabramatta West, Cabramatta, Canley Vale, Fairfield, and Lansvale. This includes standard hours and out of hours works. We work outside our standard construction hours to reduce the impact on traffic, manage oversized deliveries, increase safety for workers and ensure the quality of the asset being built.
To read about our July works, download our notification. To learn more about the measures we implement to minimise noise and vibration, download a fact sheet.
If you would like to provide feedback about our out of hours schedule and mitigation measures, you can complete a short survey. This survey is open until Thursday 27 June 2024.
Who's Listening
To find out more about this project please contact us:
Phone 1800 064 127 (complaints and enquiries line)
Email uppersouthcreek@sydneywater.com.au
Post Upper South Creek Project
PO Box 160
Kemps Creek NSW 2178
Newsletters and Notifications
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One Month Work Look Ahead Notification - February 2025.pdf (339 KB) (pdf)
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One Month Work Look Ahead Notification - January 2025.pdf (318 KB) (pdf)
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One Month Work Look Ahead Notification - December 2024.pdf (341 KB) (pdf)
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One Month Work Look Ahead Notification - November 2024.pdf (343 KB) (pdf)
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One Month Work Look Ahead Notification - October 2024.pdf (358 KB) (pdf)
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One Month Work Look Ahead Notification - September 2024.pdf (347 KB) (pdf)
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One Month Work Look Ahead Notification - August 2024.pdf (1.08 MB) (pdf)
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Noise and Vibration Fact Sheet.pdf (215 KB) (pdf)
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Past one month look ahead notifications
FAQs - Project Overview
- What is the project’s scope?
- Who is delivering the project?
- What are the project’s benefits?
- What areas will be serviced by the AWRC?
- How much water will be processed per day?
- How will wastewater reach the AWRC?
- How can I connect to wastewater services?
- How can I get access to recycled water?
- How can I find out more about water treatment, wastewater and recycled water?
FAQs - Project Planning and Environmental Impacts
- Will the treated water released from the AWRC cause flooding or make flooding events worse?
- What are the benefits of environmental flows?
- What about flora and fauna? Will they be impacted by construction?
- Will the new infrastructure cause odour issues?
- What is circular economy?
- What is an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)?
- Why does Sydney Water need to remove trees along Park Road?
- Could the treated water pipe have been placed somewhere else?
- Will Sydney Water be replanting the vegetation that was removed?
FAQs - Construction Approach
- What it is the project’s timeline?
- How will you minimise construction impacts?
- Will Sydney Water need to take out easements or acquire land for the project?
- Will there be increased truck movements and road closures?
- Will there be noise and vibration impacts during construction?
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AWRC
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Pipelines
- What construction techniques will you be using for the pipelines?
- Where do the pipelines go?
Related Documents
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Community and Stakeholder Engagement Plan (CSEP) (Rev E).pdf (5.91 MB) (pdf)
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Upper South Creek AWRC and Pipelines Annual Sustainability Report 2024.pdf (17.7 MB) (pdf)
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Upper South Creek AWRC and Pipelines Construction Mitigation Measures.pdf (166 KB) (pdf)
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Upper South Creek AWRC EIS Overview Brochure.pdf (3.83 MB) (pdf)
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Upper South Creek AWRC EIS Brochure Vietnamese (1.59 MB) (pdf)
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Upper South Creek AWRC EIS Brochure Simplified Chinese (1.64 MB) (pdf)
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Upper South Creek AWRC EIS Brochure Arabic (1.6 MB) (pdf)
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Upper South Creek AWRC Stage 1 - Staging Report (1.26 MB) (pdf)
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Upper South Creek Urban Design Landscape Plan Stage 1 November 2023.pdf (31.5 MB) (pdf)
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Department of Planning and Environment_Approval of UDLP.pdf (406 KB) (pdf)
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Upper South Creek AWRC Independent Environment Compliance Audit (13 MB) (pdf)
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Upper South Creek AWRC Sydney Water Response to Independent Audit Findings (29 KB) (pdf)
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Key Policies and Procedures - complaints.pdf (60.7 KB) (pdf)
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Managing Director's letter to the community (122 KB) (pdf)
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Approvals and Licences
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EPL_21800.pdf (451 KB) (pdf)
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DPE Approval Letter (142 KB) (pdf)
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Commonwealth Notification of Approval EPBC 2020-8816.pdf (2.11 MB) (pdf)
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Conditions of Approval - Upper South Creek AWRC (1.86 MB) (pdf)
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Conditions of Approval MOD2 - Upper South Creek AWRC.pdf (1.53 MB) (pdf)
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L11 (0503 2307 SWC USC AWRC Pipelines RAP) Rev 0.pdf (8.38 MB) (pdf)
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240324 - Approval of Plan Strategy or Study - RAP - Signed.pdf (193 KB) (pdf)
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0677828_JH USC Pipelines RAP_Final_rev01.pdf (10 MB) (pdf)
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Upper South Creek EPL 21800 Premise Maps_Rev 08 March 2024.pdf (3.94 MB) (pdf)
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Water Access Licence - WAL44922.pdf (229 KB) (pdf)
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Maps
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Construction Management Plans
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Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) (Rev B).pdf (12.4 MB) (pdf)
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Noise and Vibration CEMP Sub-plan (Rev D).pdf (59 MB) (pdf)
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Upper South Creek - Waste and Resource Use CEMP Sub-plan (Rev C).pdf (133 KB) (pdf)
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Air Quality CEMP Sub-plan (Rev B).pdf (134 MB) (pdf)
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Soils and Contamination CEMP Sub-Plan (Rev B).pdf (186 MB) (pdf)
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Surface Water Groundwater CEMP Sub-plan (Rev C)_COMBINED.pdf (170 MB) (pdf)
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Traffic and Transport CEMP Sub-plan (Rev D).pdf (171 MB) (pdf)
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Traffic and Transport CEMP Sub-plan_Appendix D_Construction Parking and Access Strategy.pdf (54.4 MB) (pdf)
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Biodiversity CEMP Sub-plan (Rev E).pdf (197 MB) (pdf)
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Flood Emergency Response CEMP Sub-plan (Rev B).pdf (194 MB) (pdf)
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Sustainability Management Plan (Rev B).pdf (5.05 MB) (pdf)
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Heritage CEMP Sub-plan (Rev B).pdf (28.2 MB) (pdf)
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Construction Noise and Vibration Impact Statement Acoustic Advisor Endorsement (302 KB) (pdf)
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Construction Water Reuse Strategy - Part A (1.66 MB) (pdf)
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Construction Water Reuse Strategy - Part B (535 KB) (pdf)
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Construction Water Reuse Strategy - Part C (2.5 MB) (pdf)
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Construction Water Reuse Strategy - Part D (8.46 MB) (pdf)
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Construction Water Reuse Strategy - Part E (6.65 MB) (pdf)
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Construction Water Reuse Strategy - Part F (1.51 MB) (pdf)
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AWRC Remediation Action Plan (6.99 MB) (pdf)
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Community Agreements
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Culturally and Linguistically Diverse online community information sessions
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DPE A40 and 41 letter 3rd audit report and response to findings_10012025_table.pdf (35.2 KB) (pdf)
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USC - Independent Audit 2 Final 27_06_24.pdf (11.4 MB) (pdf)
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DPHI A40 and 41 letter 2nd audit report and response to findings table_280624.pdf (53.3 KB) (pdf)
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Upper South Creek - Independent Audit 3 Final Rev 0 10_1_24.pdf (11.8 MB) (pdf)
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USC Project - 2023 DI Public Reporting WIP FINAL.pdf (1.19 MB) (pdf)
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Compliance report USC EPBC2020_8816_final_consolidated_signed.pdf (3.12 MB) (pdf)
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USCP-JHG-MPL-ENV-0011 Rehabilitation Management Plan (Rev 5)_clean and consolidated.pdf (19.7 MB) (pdf)
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Noise and Vibration
Related Sydney Water Projects
Life Cycle
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Planning Stage (Completed)
Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre has finished this stageDuring this stage, Sydney Water sought community and stakeholder feedback as part of early planning process.
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Environmental Impact Statement and planning approvals (Completed)
Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre has finished this stageDuring this stage we sought comments and feedback leading up to and during the public exhibition period of the project’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Our EIS Submissions Report responded to the feedback we received from community and stakeholders during the EIS exhibition period.
An Amendment Report was also prepared to reflect minor amendments to the project based on feedback from community and stakeholders. We also prepared a report that responded to the feedback we received from community and stakeholders during the Amendment Report exhibition.
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State and Commonwealth Government Approvals (Completed)
Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre has finished this stageDuring this stage, the project was approved by the State government and Commonwealth governments.
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Construction Planning (Completed)
Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre has finished this stageWith the relevant State and Commonwealth approvals granted, the project moved into construction planning. We prepared construction environmental management plans and early works and heritage investigations were undertaken.
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Construction Commencement (Current)
Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre is currently at this stage
Useful links
To view Sydney Water's Growth Servicing Plan, please click here.