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Credit: City of Sydney

Press release: City of Sydney

Thousands of Sydney residents will reduce their use of drinking-quality water by using recycled storm water for their toilets and laundries plus enjoy cheaper bills following a major new agreement between the City of Sydney and a private water utility.

Green Square Water, wholly owned by Flow Systems Pty Ltd, will use stormwater at 20 sites to service 7,000 residents and 8,500 workers in the fast-growing Green Square neighbourhood.

Green Square Water will design, build and maintain the recycled water network using a parallel plumbing system installed in the new buildings, providing up to 900 kilolitres of recycled water – just under half an Olympic-sized swimming pool – every day.

The recycled water at Green Square will be cheaper than Sydney Water’s drinking water, so businesses and residents can expect an average $20 drop in their annual water bills.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the project was an important step in drought proofing its future.

“We’re pleased to be partnering with Green Square Water to make stormwater available for businesses and residents for the first time – and in a way that benefits the environment and is commercially viable,” the Lord Mayor said.

“The City is already working hard to reduce mains water demand, increase recycled water use and improve stormwater quality. We are already bringing storm and rainwater harvesting and reuse programs to many of our parks and public buildings.

“Every year, over 20 billion litres of stormwater flows out to sea from the city – that’s nearly the same amount we expect Sydneysiders to be consuming in total by 2030.”

“Thanks to the City of Sydney we are able to deliver a step change in the way water is provided to homeowners and businesses in this important city hub,” Flow Chief Executive Officer and founder, Mr Terry Leckie said.

“The Green Square Water project allows us to step into the future – to harness stormwater, purify it on site and reuse it to green gardens and sporting fields, plus air cooling, clothes washing and toilet flushing,” he said.

“This sustainable way of living is the future.”

Apartment dwellers are known as the highest consumers of drinking water but one third of what they use is either flushed down the toilet or used in the laundry.

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Flow Systems will purify storm water using three processes: ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis and purification.

Managing Director Terry Leckie said Green Square water is purified to the highest Australian standards with the Independent Regulatory and Pricing Tribunal and NSW Health monitoring the network to ensure it meets health and safety requirements.

The recycled water will also be used to irrigate Matron Ruby Park on the old grounds of South Sydney Hospital and the planned library at Green Square.

The project is the first of many being formulated under the City of Sydney’s Decentralised Water Master Plan and is being partially funded through the City and the Australian Government’s

National Urban Water and Desalination Plan, part of the Water for the Future initiative.

The City of Sydney is spending more than $400 million to provide infrastructure and community facilities for Green Square. Located four kilometres south of the city centre, the 278-hectare redevelopment zone takes in parts of five suburbs. By 2030 it is expected to be home to 50,000 residents.

For more information, visit greeninfrastructure.net.au/water

Tags: green design