“Sydney Water is confident that its infrastructure will capably service the growth forecast in the[affected] precincts,” the corporation said,adding that neither the age of the pipes,nor the number of breaks and bursts in the network,were determining factors in the capacity of the water or wastewater systems.
Sydney Water also said it had provided advice about “many other sites that would be suitable for additional growth from a water-servicing perspective”.
The statement contradicted claims in other submissions to the inquiry,including by the Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (NSROC),which said Sydney Water had “acknowledged the water and sewerage system may not have the necessary capacity for the proposed increase in housing density”.
NSROC director Meg Montgomery said she was pleased Sydney Water had now confirmed it could serve the precincts,but sewerage was just one element and communities needed other forms of essential infrastructure,including schools,health and transport.
Local Government NSW,the peak body for the state’s councils,also raised concerns about water systems. It cited earlier work by Penrith City Council,which argued stormwater and wastewater infrastructure in St Marys “does not have any capacity beyond existing zoned land”.
St Marys is one of 37 suburbs where planning controls will be altered to allow six-storey apartment buildings within 400 metres of train stations. The scheme is due to start this month at 18 locations;however,St Marys has been delayed,along with many others,following negotiations with relevant councils (it is now scheduled for April 2025).