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 is 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 is 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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April Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkIn April, 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 April 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 Wednesday 27 March 2024.
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Working with Western Sydney Parklands
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkWe are continuing our pipeline construction work within Western Sydney Parklands to install a 3-kilometre section of the brine line from the Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre. We would like to thank the Western Sydney Parklands for working with us to minimise our impact on the newly opened Gabrugal Yana bushwalk.
Our access road crosses the eastern end of Gabrugal Yana and signage and barriers have been installed to direct visitors to a safe crossing. Please check both directions carefully for approaching trucks before crossing.
About Gabrugal Yana
Opening to the public 22 February, Gabrugal Yana boasts spectacular views to the city and Blue Mountains, as well as a series of unique Aboriginal artwork trees. The new bushwalk is an 11km return walk from Cecil Park to Middleton Grange, that celebrates local Dharug Aboriginal culture by transforming six landmark trees into Aboriginal artworks that represent Dharug seasons. Gabrugal Yana means walk of the Gabru or Cabro people, who traditionally lived in the Fairfield and Liverpool area.First Nations artists Shay Tobin and Djon Mundine OAM worked with Dharug community members to bring the change of seasons to life through artworks that depict well-known Sydney plants and animals such as the blue tongue lizard and the eel, as well as fire. The trees share Dharug names and language which is accessible through audio which can be heard along the route.
The walk begins at the Wylde Mountain Bike and BMX bub in Cecil Park before winding south through Cumberland Plain woodland and old farmland to Middleton Grange.For more information and updates before your visit, check the Western Sydney Parklands website.
In choosing the route for the brine pipeline Sydney Water have minimised the impact on busier areas of the Parklands however, visitors may come across our construction. Please take care around our construction areas and look out for signage that will direct you to safe crossing points.
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March Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkIn March, 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 March 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 29 February 2024.
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February work look ahead - Pipelines and AWRC
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkIn February, 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 February 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 January 2024.
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January Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkIn January, 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, Cabramatta West, Cabramatta, Canley Vale and Fairfield. 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.
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 22 December 2023.
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December Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkIn December, 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, Cabramatta West, Cabramatta, Canley Vale and Fairfield. 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 December 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 30 November 2023.
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November Out of Hours Work Look Ahead - Pipelines and AWRC
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkIn November, out of hours work is planned for the Advanced Water Recycling Centre (AWRC) and along our pipeline alignment in Cecil Hills, Bonnyrigg Heights, Bonnyrigg and Cabramatta West.
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 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.
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One Month Work Look Ahead - November 2023
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkWork will continue into November at both the AWRC and associated pipelines that travel from Kemps Creek heading west to Wallacia, and Kemps Creek heading east to Lansdowne.
Work in the east will involve the continuation of service investigations and pipeline installations. Work in the west will include site establishment and utility connections, earthworks and civil works, and deliveries of oversized equipment, materials, and concrete.
Regular updates will be distributed to the community as the work progresses, with properties that may be highly impacted by noise or vibration or planned night works to receive specific notifications about these activities.
See our November one month look ahead for west here, and the one month look ahead for east here.
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Upcoming Pipe Laying Work in Western Sydney Parklands
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre project is working closely with the Western Sydney Parklands as the project progresses.
Starting Monday 23 October, the project will install a section of pipe through the east and west side of the parklands, near to Cecil Hills access and near to Kemps Creek access areas. This work will include excavation of trenches, laying pipe, and reinstating the area with minimal impact to the crucial environment of Western Sydney Parklands. You can view the notification here.
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AWRC One Month Out of Hours Work Notification - November 2023
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkWork is progressing as we continue to build the AWRC in Kemps Creek and the associated pipelines from Kemps Creek to Lansdowne, and Kemps Creek to Wallacia.
In November, we will be completing some out of hours work at the AWRC including formwork and concrete pours, steel fixing, and oversize deliveries.
Ongoing updates on our work will continue to be distributed to the nearby communities. You can view our November out of hours look ahead here and download and noise and vibration fact sheet here.
We also invite you to please complete our survey to provide feedback on our proposed schedule of work. You can find the survey here and this will be available until Friday 27 October.
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
- One Month Work Look Ahead Notification - April 2024.pdf (457 KB) (pdf)
- One Month Work Look Ahead Notification - March 2024.pdf (414 KB) (pdf)
- One Month Work Look Ahead Notification - March 2024 WCAG.pdf (377 KB) (pdf)
- One Month Work Look Ahead Notification - February 2024.pdf (314 KB) (pdf)
- One Month Work Look Ahead Notification - February 2024 WCAG.pdf (290 KB) (pdf)
- Noise and Vibration Fact Sheet.pdf (215 KB) (pdf)
- 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?
- AWRC
- Pipelines
- What construction techniques will you be using for the pipelines?
- Where do the pipelines go?
Related Documents
- Upper South Creek AWRC EIS Overview Brochure.pdf (3.83 MB) (pdf)
- Upper South Creek AWRC EIS Brochure Vietnamese (1.59 MB) (pdf)
- Upper South Creek AWRC EIS Brochure Simplified Chinese (1.64 MB) (pdf)
- Upper South Creek AWRC EIS Brochure Arabic (1.6 MB) (pdf)
- Upper South Creek AWRC Stage 1 - Staging Report (1.26 MB) (pdf)
- Upper South Creek Urban Design Landscape Plan Stage 1 November 2023.pdf (31.5 MB) (pdf)
- Upper South Creek AWRC Independent Environment Compliance Audit (13 MB) (pdf)
- Upper South Creek AWRC Sydney Water Response to Independent Audit Findings (29 KB) (pdf)
- Environmental Mitigation Measures (134 KB) (pdf)
- Upper South Creek - Waste and Resource Use CEMP Sub-plan (Rev A) (1.02 MB) (pdf)
- Community and Stakeholder Engagement Plan (CSEP) - USC AWRC and Pipelines.pdf (5.49 MB) (pdf)
- Key Policies and Procedures - complaints.pdf (60.7 KB) (pdf)
- Managing Director's letter to the community (122 KB) (pdf)
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Approvals
- EPL 21800 John Holland Pty Ltd Approved and In Force.pdf (373 KB) (pdf)
- DPE Approval Letter (142 KB) (pdf)
- Commonwealth Notification of Approval EPBC 2020-8816.pdf (2.11 MB) (pdf)
- Conditions of Approval - Upper South Creek AWRC (1.86 MB) (pdf)
- L11 (0503 2307 SWC USC AWRC Pipelines RAP) Rev 0.pdf (8.38 MB) (pdf)
- 240324 - Approval of Plan Strategy or Study - RAP - Signed.pdf (193 KB) (pdf)
- 0677828_JH USC Pipelines RAP_Final_rev01.pdf (10 MB) (pdf)
- Maps
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Construction Management Plans
- Upper South Creek Construction Environmental Management Plan CEMP (Rev A) (10.3 MB) (pdf)
- Revision A - Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) and sub-plans_ER approval (212 KB) (pdf)
- Flood Emergency Response CEMP Sub-Plan (158 MB) (pdf)
- Soils and Contamination CEMP Sub-Plan (17.1 MB) (pdf)
- Surface Water Groundwater CEMP Sub-plan (Rev B) COMBINED.pdf (170 MB) (pdf)
- Managing Noise and Vibration Impacts.pdf (120 KB) (pdf)
- Traffic and Transport CEMP Sub-Plan (140 MB) (pdf)
- Biodiversity CEMP Sub-plan (Rev D) Part A.pdf (2.47 MB) (pdf)
- Biodiversity CEMP Sub-plan (Rev D) Part B.pdf (63.2 MB) (pdf)
- Biodiversity CEMP Sub-plan (Rev D) Part C.pdf (128 MB) (pdf)
- Heritage CEMP Sub-Plan Part 1 (156 MB) (pdf)
- Heritage CEMP Sub-Plan Part 2 (66.1 MB) (pdf)
- Construction Noise and Vibration Impact Statement Acoustic Advisor Endorsement (302 KB) (pdf)
- Construction Water Reuse Strategy - Part A (1.66 MB) (pdf)
- Construction Water Reuse Strategy - Part B (535 KB) (pdf)
- Construction Water Reuse Strategy - Part C (2.5 MB) (pdf)
- Construction Water Reuse Strategy - Part D (8.46 MB) (pdf)
- Construction Water Reuse Strategy - Part E (6.65 MB) (pdf)
- Construction Water Reuse Strategy - Part F (1.51 MB) (pdf)
- Community Agreements
- Noise and Vibration CEMP Sub-Plan Part 1 (1.71 MB) (pdf)
- Noise and Vibration CEMP Sub-Plan Part 2 (167 MB) (pdf)
- Noise and Vibration CEMP Sub-Plan Part 3 (52 MB) (pdf)
- Noise and Vibration CEMP Sub-Plan Part 4 (80.9 MB) (pdf)
- Vibration Monitor Results (15 MB) (pdf)
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.