Securing water supply in Western Sydney : an analysis of water use, demand and availability in the South Creek Catchment

Increasing urbanisation and climate change uncertainties are putting pressure on regional authorities to revisit water management strategies in Western Sydney (Australia). This chapter examines water use patterns, demand and supply options in the South Creek catchment—a typical peri-urban catchment in Western Sydney. If present water management practices are continued, the water demand in the catchment is estimated to be more than double, growing from 53 GL/yr under the ‘current’ scenario, to 107 GL/yr under the ‘future’ scenario representing the expected conditions around the year 2025. Most of this increase will be due to residential and non-residential water use, followed by increases in irrigation requirements for recreational space (parks and golf courses). The macro water use, demand and availability analysis suggests that nearly 50 % of the ‘current’ and 47 % of the ‘future’ potable water demand could be replaced with non-potable water. The potential availability of non-potable water resources is estimated to be more than double of the potential demand for non-potable water in the catchment. This provides an opportunity to meet the region’s domestic, industrial, agricultural and environmental water demands provided all water resources are integrated, used and reused in a harmonised fashion. The stormwater and wastewater is to be seen as a ‘resource’, rather than a ‘waste’ in this new paradigm of integrated water supply management.