Case study: Liveability through water infrastructure at South Creek, Sydney

The South Creek catchment of Western Sydney is the hottest, driest and least vegetated area of Greater Sydney. The population of the Western Parkland City located within the South Creek catchment is expected to increase to 1.5 million people by 2056.57

This population growth will radically change the landscape and increase the amount of water moving through it, placing pressure on the health of waterways and creating challenges for managing stormwater, wastewater, and floods.

Infrastructure NSW, in collaboration with the Greater Sydney Commission, is developing a whole-of-government initiative to manage water in the landscape to improve waterway health and liveability.

The business case for the area found that adopting an integrated land-use and water cycle management strategy would best deliver the New South Wales Government's Western Parkland City Vision. It will also provide $6.5 billion in value for the community.

The opportunity for integrated water cycle management in the South Creek catchment is a Priority Initiative on the 2021 Infrastructure Priority List.58

For the next stage of planning for the area, via the South Creek Sector Review, the NSW Department of Planning and Industry - Water is leading stormwater and waterway governance.

Source: Greater Sydney Commission59; Water Services Association Australia (2019)60; Department of Planning, Industry and Environment - Water (2021).