West Camden Water Recycling Plant Upgrade

Our delivery partner Downer|BMD will be starting the task of concreting the Membrane Bioreactors (MBR). This will occur between 29 July and 31 October.

The construction of the MBR slabs will be poured over six large pours, each pour requiring to be completed in a single day. The concrete pours will be completed during our work hours however with cooler temperatures it will take longer for the concrete to dry. There is a possibility that the finishing works may not be completed within our work hours and will need to be carried out until 10pm.

Concrete finishing works will include approximately 10-15 people using helicopter machines (pictured below) and other hand tools to smooth and flat finish the concrete surfaces. Lighting towers will be used and will be positioned in such a way that artificial light will not impact surrounding residents.

Three concrete pours will happen on 2, 8 and 15 August, weather permitting. We will let you know when the last three pours will happen closer to date.

We know our work can be disruptive, so we’ll make every effort to reduce any impact this work may have on you.

If you would like to know more, please contact our community engagement team on westcamdenwrp@sydneywater.com.au

Helicopter Machines

We will temporarily extend our work hours to allow our delivery partner Downer|BMD to import required material during low traffic movement periods.

During this period, there will be an increase in truck and dog trailers entering and exiting the access gate on Sheathers Lane, site entry 3. The trucks will be importing fill to the site required for construction.

Our extended work hours will be from 6am to 7pm Monday to Friday from Tuesday 5 July 2022 for 8 weeks, weather permitting. There will be no change to the Saturday work hours, which are 7am to 5pm.

We will not work on Sundays or Public Holidays.

If you would like to know more, please contact our community engagement team on WestCamdenWRP@sydneywater.com.au.

To commemorate Environment Week at Sydney Water, the West Camden WRP team joined forces with our project delivery partner Downer|BMD to establish an area of Cumberland Plain Woodland (CPW) to supplement the surrounding communities.

Cumberland Plain Woodland is a critically endangered ecological community that was formerly widespread across Western Sydney. Urban development, infestation of weeds and inappropriate land management has reduced this previously expansive community to small fragments of less than 5 hectares. Less than 10% now remains and it continues to be threatened.

Protecting and establishing new areas of Cumberland Plain Woodland will provide vital support for native biodiversity and ecosystem services in the region, such as managing water tables and flows, soil nutrient cycling, reducing erosion and salinity, storing carbon, regulating local temperature and regulating insect pests.

Connecting remaining native vegetation areas is essential for animals that live or migrate through the region. Patches that are connected, or are close to each other, also help to ensure the future viability of the ecological community and other native vegetation, by providing pollination and dispersal of plant propagules.

In total the team planted 200 locally sourced CPW species at the previously disturbed area with remnant mature eucalypti trees.

The planting also ties into Camden Council’s Master Plan to enhance the area surrounding the West Camden Water Recycling Plant. A footpath and cycleway is being constructed by Council and the establishment of the Cumberland Plain Woodland will provide a visual screen for the community using the Council’s facilities and enable the community the opportunity to view native flora and fauna once the area is established.

With the recent rain events our delivery partner Downer|BMD will continue to work extended Saturday hours to meet critical milestones.

From Saturday 23 April 2022 our work hours on Saturdays will be 7am to 5pm until project completion in 2023. There will be no change to the hours Monday to Friday, which are 7am to 6pm.

We will not work on Sundays or Public Holidays.

We know our work can be disruptive, so we’ll make every effort to reduce any impact this work may have on you.

All sheds and equipment will be stored within the Sydney Water site’s fenced area, but you may notice an increase in noise, vehicle, and construction equipment movement around the work site.

If you would like to know more, please contact our community engagement team on WestCamdenWRP@sydneywater.com.au.

Sydney Water and our project delivery partner Downer | BMD came together this week to participate in a traditional smoking ceremony to help mark the start of construction for the West Camden Water Recycling Plant (WRP)Upgrade works.

The smoking ceremony was performed by Uncle Daniel Chalker from Dharawal Country. It is traditionally held to acknowledge the ancestors and pay respect to the land and waters of country. It welcomes, cleanses and promotes the protection and wellbeing of visitors.

The area now known as Camden was originally at the northern edge of land belonging to the Gandangara people of the Southern Highlands, who called it Benkennie, meaning 'dry land'.

Sydney Water’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) reflects our commitment to integrate the reconciliation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples into our business. The smoking ceremony signals our recognition that we operate on the lands of Traditional Custodians. Our purpose to protecting waterways and the environment is consistent with the environmental stewardship the traditional owners have provided for thousands of years.

It was fantastic to be joined by so many attendees from our delivery partner, subcontractors, as well as Sydney Water staff. A special thank you to Member for Camden, Peter Sidgreaves MP for attending.

Our delivery partner Downer|BMD has started work to install new underground electrical cables for the provision of alternate power supply to the WRP from the electrical substation south of Burragorang Rd.

The installation will take approximately 20 weeks to complete, weather permitting. The work will be done from 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 1 pm on Saturday.

This work will involve:

• installing 2.6 kms of new electrical cables
• investigating and surveying the area
• setting up site facilities
• using trenchless technology to install cables along Cawdor Road
• digging trenches along Sheathers Lane for cable installation
• backfilling and restoring the impacted area

Traffic changes

There will be changes to pedestrian and traffic conditions along the Cawdor Rd and sheathers Lane. Traffic controllers will manage movement around the work area to keep you safe. There won't be any impacts to bus services along the route and private driveways will be maintained.

Location of work

If you would like to know more, please contact us at WestCamdenWRP@sydneywater.com.au.

We have made some good progress lately on upgrades to the WRP site with the plant being in full operation!

The sludge lagoon near the Sheathers Lane side of the plant is currently emptied in preparation for its decommissioning. We are pumping the sludge from the pool, mixing in chemicals and store it in massive the Geotubes, where the liquid is squeezed out. Once the sludge is dry the tubes will be taken off site and disposed. You may have seen the tubes when driving by - they look like jumping cushions ( we wouldn't recommend that though)

Otherwise, earth works are in progress to build two of the four new Membrane Bioreactor Tanks in the location where the sludge lagoon currently is. Construction of the tanks is planned to start this month but that depends on the weather.

If you would like to know more, please contact us at WestCamdenWRP@sydneywater.com.au.

Geotubes at Sheathers Lane

Due to the recent Covid-19 restrictions and rain events, we need to extend our Saturday working hours to meet critical project milestones and ensure the plant will meet its increasing load.

From Saturday 5 March 2022 until 26 March 2022 our work hours will be 7 am to 5 pm Monday to Saturday.

We will not work on Sundays and Public Holidays.

During the work you may notice an increase in noise, vehicle, and construction equipment movement around the work site. All sheds and equipment will be stored within the Sydney Water site’s fenced area.

We know our work can be disruptive, so we’ll make every effort to reduce any impact this work may have on you.

If you would like to know more, please contact us at WestCamdenWRP@sydneywater.com.au.

As part of the decommissioning of the sludge lagoon, our contractor Downer/BMD will need to work on the weekend of 12 and 13 February 2022. The work will be done between 7am and 5pm.

Work is required to maintain levels of tank capacity with the use of a pump. This work will enable us to dredge the sludge to the dewatering zone at the south side of the site. The generator used for the work will be in an attenuator. This means the impact from noise will be minimal.

The map below shows our work area for the weekend. We are not anticipating any impacts on the community.

If you have any concerns please contact us at WestCamdenWRP@sydneywater.com.au.

During the upgrade of the West Camden Water Recycling Plant there will be a few disruptions. We will try to keep these to a minimum however some are unavoidable.

Below is a summary of what to expect.

If you have any concerns please contact us at WestCamdenWRP@sydneywater.com.au.

We wish you a safe and happy festive season, and a water wise new year!