Sydney Water Water Conservation Report 2017-2018
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Sydney Water Water Conservation Report 2017-2018
Table of contents
Executive summary ...................................................................................................................... 3
Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 4
Our performance and five-year plan ...................................................................................... 5
2.1 Water use in 2017-18 ........................................................................................................................... 5
2.2 Our water conservation performance in 2017-18 ............................................................................. 7
2.3 Our 5 year water conservation plan: 2018-19 to 2022-23 ................................................................ 8
Water conservation programs delivered ............................................................................. 10
3.1 Residential water efficiency.............................................................................................................. 10
3.2 Business water efficiency ................................................................................................................. 12
3.3 Leakage management ....................................................................................................................... 12
3.4 Water recycling .................................................................................................................................. 14
3.5 Education............................................................................................................................................ 15
3.6 Regulatory measures ........................................................................................................................ 16
3.7 Discontinued programs prior to 2017-18 ........................................................................................ 16
Future water conservation .................................................................................................... 17
4.1 New projects in 2018-19 (subject to funding approval) ................................................................. 17
4.2 Programs more viable with a future increase in the value of water ............................................. 17
4.3 Research and development activities ............................................................................................. 19
Appendix A Reporting Requirements.................................................................................... 22
Appendix B Method overview ................................................................................................ 23
Demand forecasting and monitoring ........................................................................................................ 23
Economic Level of Water Conservation ................................................................................................... 25
Appendix C Recycled water scheme performance............................................................... 28
Appendix D Leakage management performance.................................................................. 29
Key leak management statistics ............................................................................................................... 29
Water balance ............................................................................................................................................. 30
Appendix E Past programs .................................................................................................... 31
Appendix F Glossary.............................................................................................................. 34
Appendix G List of acronyms and units ................................................................................ 35
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 2Executive summary This report outlines our Water Conservation Plan for the next five years and reports on the costs and water savings from our water conservation programs run in 2017-18. This Plan supports delivery of the NSW Government’s 2017 Metropolitan Water Plan, which recognises the critical value of water conservation in balancing supply and demand for greater Sydney. We saved 10,462 million litres (ML) of water from our ongoing water conservation programs in 2017-18, with more than 10,000 customers participating in our water efficiency and education programs, such as the successful WaterFix Strata program. We also saved water through our ongoing leakage and water recycling programs. Sydney experienced unusually protracted hot and dry weather in 2017-18 with total water use increasing to 599,885 ML or 324 litres per person per day (LPD). The hotter weather has also contributed to increased leakage as clay soils expand and exert pressure on pipes – this is an issue facing water utilities across eastern Australia. Our 5-year Water Conservation Plan includes new water efficiency programs to partner with councils, optimise rainwater tank use, and a public awareness and education campaign to remind the community about the precious nature of water and the need to be water wise. We are also currently completing a major review of our water conservation program to ensure that we are ready to increase our water conservation activities if dam levels fall further. This includes revitalising our water efficiency program by developing new offerings for our residential and non- residential customers, and establishing an approach to continually research, test, prototype and design new water saving product and service offerings. Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 3
Introduction
Each year, we report on how we conserve water in accordance with Section 3 of our Operating
Licence 2015–20201.
Our rolling five-year Water Conservation Plan outlines our water conservation program in three
main areas to reduce demand on our surface water supplies:
• water efficiency, which aims to support customers to use water resources wisely. It
includes efficient technologies, education, metering, voluntary use reduction, audits and
supporting regulatory measures (eg BASIX2).
• water leakage, which aims to reduce water loss in our water network. It includes active
leak detection and repair, and optimised response times to repair leaks and breaks.
• water recycling, which reduces the amount of water we take from our dams. Water
recycling ranges from large scale wastewater recycling to sewer mining and stormwater
harvesting.
Section 2 outlines our performance for 2017-18 and the projects included in our 5-year plan, based
on the current value of water. Further details of each these projects can be found in Section 3.
Section 4 outlines future water conservation opportunities, including our research and development
program.
This Water Conservation Plan is updated annually as the value of water changes and we improve
our understanding of the effectiveness of water saving projects. This allows us to start, stop or
adjust the scale of efficiency projects, and introduce new projects.
It is primarily based on the Economic Level of Water Conservation (ELWC) methodology3,
approved by IPART in December 2016. The ELWC methodology promotes economically efficient
water conservation projects that consider social and environmental costs and benefits in addition
to the cost of the program and the water saved. Where projects are considered economically
efficient at the current value of water, we have included them in our five-year plan.
The plan also includes water conservation projects offered to help manage social hardship and
build capability.
1 Appendix A outlines how this report meets specific requirements in the Operating Licence Reporting
Manual.
2 https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/planning-tools/basix
3 https://www.sydneywater.com.au/web/groups/publicwebcontent/documents/document/zgrf/mtg0/~edisp/dd
_184330.pdf
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 4Our performance and five-year plan
2.1 Water use in 2017-18
2017-18
Total water use (potable water and unfiltered water) 4, including 599,885 million litres (or 600 GL)
• Residential sector 65%
• Non-residential sector (industrial, commercial and 24%
government properties)
• Non-revenue water including leaks 11% (including 9% from leakage)
Observed average water use per person 324 litres a day (or 118 kL a year)
Weather corrected average per person water demand 306 litres a day (or 112 kL a year)
Historical Demand in Sydney
Population (million)* Water Demand (GL/yr)^ Demand corrected for weather
700 5.5
Water Water Restrictions Water Wise Rules
Restrictions
650
5.0
Water Demand (GL/yr)
600
Population (million)
4.5
550
4.0
500
3.5
450
400 3.0
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
Financial Year Ending June * estimated
^ not corrected for weather
Figure 2-1 Despite a 25% increase in population the total demand for drinking water remains lower
than it did before mandatory restrictions were introduced in late 2003. It is estimated that the hotter
drier weather in 2017-18 resulted in a 33 GL increase in demand compared to what would be
expected in a year with average weather conditions.
4 Sectoral splits are estimated based on available consumption data for period April 2017 to March 2018.
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 5Historical Demand in Sydney
Demand (corrected for weather) Demand - observed
600
Water
Water Restrictions Water Wise Rules
Restrictions
550
500
Water Demand (LPD)
450
400
350
300
250
200
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
Financial Year Ending June
Figure 2-2 Weather corrected demand per person has been relatively stable, at around 300 LPD,
since the introduction of Water Wise Rules. The hotter drier weather in 2017-18 caused around 18
LPD more water to be used than what would be expected in an ‘average’ year.
We use a model that calculates observed demand litres per person per day (LPD) and compares it
to an estimate of what demand would have been if the weather conditions had been ‘average’. The
365 day moving average of observed demand at 30 June 2018 was 323.9 LPD. The results show
that we used around 17.8 LPD (about 33 GL) more water than we would have done under
'average' weather conditions. This gives a weather corrected demand of 306.1 LPD for 2017–18.
Water demand in 2017-18 was higher than forecast. Known reasons for this include:
• hotter and drier than average weather conditions throughout the year
• higher than expected leakage, also influenced by the drier weather conditions
• temporary increase in unfiltered water consumption due to the inability to use recycled
water by key industrial customers (known short term impact)
• increased water use by both the non-residential and residential sectors.
Water demand will continue to be monitored throughout 2018-19 to better understand how this
result may impact longer term trends. Further details on our demand forecasting and weather
correction method can be found in Appendix B.
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 62.2 Our water conservation performance in 2017-18
Table 2-1 Our water conservation performance in 2017-18
Forecast
Actual 2016-17 Actual 2017-18
2017-18
New
Project New water Investment New water Investment
water
savings ($'000, Participants savings ($'000, Participants
savings
(ML/year) gross) (ML/year) gross)
(ML/year)
Water efficiency
Plumbassist 16.5 495.3 166 21.2 27.3 345 274
Waterfix residential 9.7 135.7 405 10 7.2 188 302
Waterfix strata N/A 154 193 74.1 528 752
Rainwater tank repair 17 To be funded in 2018-19
Leak management
Active leak detection 1,387 883 8,009km 3,572 1,095 1,124 9,019km
Education
Not Not 4,133 + Not Not 5,600 +
Education program N/A
measured measured 2,637 measured measured 3,6905
Subtotal Economic6 3,792 1,176
7
Subtotal Potential 3,814 1,204
Water recycling
BlueScope steel 3,085 - - 2,506 -
Port Kembla Coal
239 - - 219 -
Terminal 8,723 5,769
Wollongong Golf Club 40 - - 68 -
Wollongong City Council 4 - - 5 -
Industrial Foundation
and Rosehill 1,923 17,772 - - 1,231 16,771 -
Racecourse
Rouse Hill Residential 2,319 4,251 - - 3,091 3,800 -
Other minor schemes 2,068 609 - - 2,139 823 -
Hoxton Park Residential - 450 - - - 385 -
Total 11,091 33,319 10,462 29,733
In 2017-18, actual economic water savings were lower than forecast. This was primarily from a rise
in leakage due to prolonged period of hotter and drier weather over the last 18 months, as clay
soils expand and exert pressure on pipes (see Appendix D for key leakage statistics). Participation
in WaterFix Residential and WaterFix Strata was also lower than expected, while PlumbAssist had
higher participation than expected.
5 5,600 people participated in a treatment plant tour and presentation, and about 3,690 people visited the
Water Recycling Education Centre.
6 Water savings that were economic against the 2016-17 value of water
7 Water savings from all water efficiency and leakage projects in the 2016-17 Water Conservation Plan
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 72.3 Our 5 year water conservation plan: 2018-19 to 2022-23
The Water Conservation Plan is our 5-year program of water saving-projects that are proposed to
be implemented, based on current dam levels.
Table 2-2 lists the projects that comprise our Water Conservation Plan for the five-year period
commencing July 2018, based on our current value of water. Table 2-3 details the levelised costs
for all the projects currently included in the Water Conservation Program.
Table 2-2 - Water conservation plan for 2018-19 to 2022-23 based on the current value of water8
Economically
Project efficient - Water Savings, year (ML)9
Status
Included in
ELWC 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Total
Waterfix
Yes Ongoing 9 18 27 36 45 136
residential
Pilot complete -
Waterfix business case for full
Yes 26 52 79 105 131 394
strata program under
consideration
No, but run for
PlumbAssist Ongoing 22 44 66 88 109 328
other reasons
Rainwater To be funded in
Yes 17 34 51 69 69 240
tank repair 2018-19
Active Leak
Yes Ongoing 1,095 1,643 2,601 3,604 4,631 13,574
Detection
Council
Yes Proposed for 2017-18 105 316 632 948 1,264 3,266
partnerships
Business
Not economic at
Online No - - - - - -
current value of water
Monitoring
Business
Not economic at
Efficiency No - - - - - -
current value of water
Audits
Love Your Not economic at
No - - - - - -
Garden current value of water
Total possible ELWC water savings (ML)10 1,253 2,064 3,390 4,762 6,140 17,609
Total potential water savings (ML)11 1,275 2,108 3,456 4,850 6,250 17,938
ELWC 10 ML/day
Total potential 10 ML/day
Our ELWC for the next five years is 10 ML/day, based on the dam level 67% (as at 5 July 2018)
and a value of water of $1.28 per kL to $2.08 per kL. The ELWC has reduced from last year due to
revised efficiency programs and leakage savings forecasts. More information on our ELWC
approach can be found in Appendix B.
8 Forecasts updated from 2017-18 based on value of water and available data
9 Water savings from all programs continue for more than one year
10 Water savings from all efficient programs based on the 2017-18 value of water
11 Water savings from all water efficiency and leakage projects in the 2017-18 Water Conservation Plan
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 8Our actual level of investment in water conservation, and the amount of water savings that result,
will change over time as circumstances evolve, including changes in the value of water.
Table 2-3 - Levelised costs for projects in the Water Conservation Program12
Period Forecast Economic
Levelised cost Forecast
Levelised of annual water at
Project Externalities without participation
cost benefits savings maximum
externalities per year
, years potential (ML) dam level
Waterfix Customer 380Water conservation programs delivered 3.1 Residential water efficiency Figure 3-1 - Residential participation in Sydney Water water conservation programs and BASIX over time13 3.1.1 WaterFix Residential The residential Waterfix program allows customers to choose the type of plumbing service they need to improve water efficiency in the home, providing customers with a choice of services to suit their individual needs. Initially offered as a subsidised service, since 2011 we have offered the service to residential customers at cost recovery rates. Costs to the customer vary, depending on the type of service selected. In 2017–18, the WaterFix service offered: 13 BASIX data for 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2014-15 to 2017-18 is not available; values have been assumed. Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 10
• all types of tap and toilet leak repairs • installation of WELS (Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme) 3-star showerheads • installation of WELS 4-star dual flush toilets • installation of WELS 3-star flow regulating aerators or WELS 4-star in-body flow regulators. We estimate WaterFix saves about 24,000 litres per year for each property serviced. The current model has had stable but relatively low customer demand for the last 3 years. We will be reviewing our offering to customers as part of our Water Efficiency Program 2.0 project (see Section 4.2.1) and in line with the ELWC. 3.1.2 WaterFix Strata The WaterFix Strata program was introduced as an addition to the residential WaterFix program. In this program we target strata buildings with high water use using a unique benchmarking tool. With this tool, we have identified strata buildings with water use greater than 600 litres per bedroom per day. For comparison efficient strata buildings use 200-300 litres per bedroom per day. However, with only a single meter serving the majority of Sydney’s residential strata buildings, the incentive for individual apartment dwellers is limited. To incentivise the program, the WaterFix Strata program is based on a performance guarantee. Under this agreement, the strata body pays no upfront costs, instead repaying costs with the savings achieved by the WaterFix services. That is, the water bill of the account is held static until the costs of the service are recovered, typically around three years. 3.1.3 PlumbAssist PlumbAssist provides a proactive, tailored water efficiency service for high use customers experiencing financial hardship and is offered through our BillAssist program. BillAssist staff offer customers case management and a range of assistance options. As part of the assistance package, staff do an initial plumbing assessment which includes a check for high water use or a sudden increase in use. Eligible customers with high water use or who cannot afford to fix essential plumbing services are then referred to PlumbAssist. PlumbAssist aims to rectify problems customers may have with high water use, wastewater systems and hot water systems. The range of services offered is similar to WaterFix, but the standard of plumbing fixtures prior to our visits is typically very poor meaning the potential for greater savings and costs per fitting installed is higher. We estimate PlumbAssist saved about 100,000 litres per year for each property serviced. This program is run primarily as a social program to help customers in hardship. Social benefits of the program include alleviating financial stress and ensuring that vulnerable customers have access to basic amenities. PlumbAssist reduces water waste and the cost of future water bills, and alleviates financial stress for vulnerable customer groups Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 11
3.2 Business water efficiency
We did not offer any business water efficiency programs in 2017-18. However, we currently publish
a range of information on our website to help business customers be water efficient, including:
• case studies
• water efficiency benchmarks for different types of businesses
• a do-it-yourself tool to save water in your business
• best practice guidelines to achieve water efficiency in:
o Aquatic leisure centres
o Clubs
o Commercial kitchens
o Commercial laundries
o Commercial office buildings and shopping centres
o Hotels
o Turf irrigation.
3.3 Leakage management
Figure 3-2 Actual leakage vs the Economic Level of Leakage (ELL) in our system14
14Prior to 2017-18 our ELL target range was set by IPART in our Operating Licence. In 2017-18, the ELL
was set using the ELWC methodology. See Appendix B for an overview of the methodology.
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 12Table 3-1 - Water leakage 2011-2018
Year Water leakage (ML/day) ELL target
2011–12 115 105±16
2012–13 120 105±16
2013-14 107 105±16
2014-15 99 105±16
2015-16 103 105±16
2016-17 114 105±16
2017-18 129.5 108±1615
Average 113
Sydney Water owns and maintains about 22,000 km of pipes that deliver water to customers. We
also maintain the connections to customer properties.
All pipe networks are vulnerable to leaks and breaks. Water mains leak or break for many reasons,
and age is usually not the determining factor. Many things can cause leaks, such as:
• deteriorating joints and fittings
• ground movement cracking pipes
• changes in water pressure
• changes in rainfall and temperature.
Sydney Water implements programs to reduce the likelihood of leaks and the amount of water lost
when they happen. These programs include:
• active leak detection and repair.
• pressure management.
• optimised response times to repair leaks and breaks.
• improved flow metering.
Leakage programs are justified and implemented based on the Economic Level of Leakage (ELL),
which is consistent with the ELWC methodology. The economic level of leakage (ELL) is the point
where the cost of reducing leaks equals the value of the water saved. It is based on a least-cost
model to determine the best rate of expenditure to manage leaks. The ELL for the 2018-19 period
is estimated to be 107 ±1616 ML/day at the current value of water.
The leakage program is also supported by our ongoing Pipe Renewal Program as part of our asset
maintenance program.
See Appendix D for our key leakage statistics for 2017-18.
15 Prior to 2017-18 our ELL target range was set by IPART in our Operating Licence.
16 In line with the band of uncertainty in calculating leakage
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 133.4 Water recycling Figure 3-3 - Total recycled water, water savings and replacement flows by Sydney Water projects 3.4.1 Our water recycling We currently operate 23 recycled water schemes, including 15 irrigation schemes. We also provide recycled water for use at our own wastewater treatment plants. See Appendix C for details of our recycled water schemes, including the recycled water volumes and how much drinking water this saves each year. Recycled water can be used to: • water gardens, golf courses, parks and agriculture • flush toilets and wash cars • fight fires and for some industrial purposes • supplement environment and riparian river flows. We consider recycled water to be a water conservation initiative when recycled water is provided instead of a potable water source. Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 14
3.4.2 Third-party schemes Sewer mining Sewer mining, a specific form of recycling, is the process of tapping into a wastewater system, (either before or after the wastewater treatment plant), and extracting wastewater, which is then treated on-site and used as recycled water. There are currently eight sewer mining schemes operating in Sydney Water’s area of operations. These schemes are owned and operated by organisations including councils, golf clubs and commercial building owners. We support the provision of recycling by sewer mining projects in accordance with our sewer mining policy. In total, these schemes produced over 1.3 billion litres of recycled water in 2017-18. As external programs, these are not included in our total water savings. Private onsite reuse schemes There are eight private onsite reuse schemes currently in operation. Recycled water is produced by capturing, treating and re-using wastewater from a site’s buildings or facilities. This includes Sydney Water’s head office building at 1 Smith Street, Parramatta. Recycled water volumes from these schemes are not reported to Sydney Water. Stormwater Harvesting Stormwater harvesting involves collecting, storing and treating stormwater from urban areas, which can be used as recycled water. Recycled water produced from stormwater harvesting can be used to provide water for public parks, gardens, sports fields, toilet blocks and golf courses. Typically, stormwater is under the domain of local councils. However, we may work with them to improve the health of our waterways, provide opportunities for stormwater re-use and/or protect people and properties from flooding. 3.5 Education Sydney Water plays an essential role in educating the community. Our education initiatives provide a deeper level of learning and connect us with our community, in person. We invest in and support education programs that promote and integrate water efficiency within the broader context of the urban water cycle. We build sustainable behaviours for our water and wastewater systems and understanding of people’s shared responsibilities. We deliver Education industry capacity building workshops and presentations. Our website offers NSW Syllabus linked content and learning resources for primary and high school teachers and students and tertiary students. We run educational tours at seven operational sites, which include water filtration, water recycling and wastewater treatment plants. We also have a specially designed Water Recycling Education Centre at St Marys Water Advanced Water Recycling Plant. Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 15
Our tours promote responsible water use and conservation and build understanding of people’s shared responsibilities. 3.6 Regulatory measures Two external regulatory measures, implemented during the millennium drought, remain in place: the Water Efficient Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme and the Building Sustainability Index (BASIX). Both measures continue to improve the water efficiency of homes. BASIX is a state-wide planning policy that sets water use and greenhouse emission targets for residential dwellings. BASIX aims to reduce the volume of drinking water used and greenhouse gas emissions produced by new dwellings and existing dwellings with extensions and alterations. WELS is a national scheme that involves mandatory water efficiency rating and labelling for a range of appliances and fittings. It also sets minimum water efficiency standards for some appliances, such as washing machines. Sydney Water worked closely with regulatory bodies during the millennium drought (2003-2009) to implement this legislation. 3.7 Discontinued programs prior to 2017-18 Previous initiatives have been extremely successful in reducing water use. We expect savings from these initiatives to continue in the future, despite the completion of many of the programs. Water efficient fixtures and behaviours established under these programs should continue to reduce water use. Analysis showed that many of our efficiency programs in their current format have reached maturity. To achieve significant additional savings from these programs alternative implementation mechanisms are needed. A full list of these programs and their outcomes can be found in Appendix E. Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 16
Future water conservation
4.1 New projects in 2018-19 (subject to funding approval)
4.1.1 Council Partnerships
The Council Partnerships Program ran from 2010 to 2015. Sydney Water worked with local
councils to help small and medium water-using businesses achieve sustainable water savings.
Sydney Water co-funded the employment of sustainability project officers who worked with 15
councils for different periods of time. The project officers engaged with small and medium
businesses to conduct water audits, recommend how they can improve their water efficiency and
help them implement water efficiency projects. At the end of the program, around 500 small to
medium water using businesses had participated in the program, with total savings of 2.4 million
litres.
We will be implementing this program in 2018-19, subject to funding and approval.
4.1.2 Water efficiency awareness campaign
We will launch a public awareness and education campaign to remind the community awareness
about the precious nature of water and the need to be water wise. The campaign will use a multi-
channel approach including radio, traditional and social media as well as culturally diverse media
channels. The campaign will run from August 2018 through to March 2019 with the possibility of
extension beyond.
4.1.3 Rainwater tank service and maintenance
This project will offer an installation verification and maintenance service for rainwater tank
systems. The program will target BASIX houses, and potentially be offered through direct mail, a
bill insert, and/or a social media referral service.
The project aims to optimise and/or significantly improve rainwater tank utilisation, reducing mains
water use. It will also provide an educational service that allows the customer to gain an
understanding of their rainwater tank system and motivate them to follow up with the service
and/or ensure continued efficiency. Customers will pay an initial assessment fee for the service.
4.2 Programs more viable with a future increase in the value of water
4.2.1 Water Efficiency Program 2.0
We are in the process of completing a major project to revitalise our customer-focused water
efficiency program. The objective of the project is to develop a customer-focused water efficiency
program that:
• drives sustained reduction in demand
• enhances Sydney Water’s reputation
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 17• improves customer experience by providing products and services that customers value
• is feasible to deliver on a full-scale.
The project will also aim to develop new water efficiency offerings for our residential and non-
residential customers, and establish an approach to continually research, test, prototype and
design new water saving product and service offerings in the future.
We are also looking at ways we can better design and market our current offerings to ensure that
they are cost effective and viable. Programs like concealed leak detection, Rainwater Tank
Maintenance and Repair, Nepean behavioral change trial, and the Love Your Garden Program will
be part of the scope of the review.
Concealed leak detection
This program was piloted in 2016 as part of the Waterfix program. We have developed a highly
sensitive algorithm to identify households with possible concealed leaks. We continuously monitor
our customers’ meter reading data, and where a concealed leak is suspected, a letter can be sent
to the owner, advising them that they may wish to investigate their high water use. If the customer
calls us following this letter, they are run through a series of questions to determine what service is
appropriate and referred to a leak detection service, if necessary. We currently offer a limited
version of this service, notifying customers of their high water use and how to test for concealed
leaks.
Love your Garden program
The Love your Garden program offers tailored advice about a garden's specific watering needs.
The offer is targeted at customers who use significant amounts of water on their garden. The
service involves a qualified horticultural expert visiting a customer’s home and evaluating the
amount of water the garden needs. Tools such as tap timers, rain gauges and tap tags are
provided along with a detailed report. An updated program will also include an assessment of
residential irrigation systems, which have become more popular in the community since the end of
the last program.
The Love Your Garden program ran from 2007 to 2011. A revised program would include updates,
including a nursery program, and potentially lower marketing costs and additional services.
Business relationship management
Businesses use about a quarter of the volume of water we supply to customers each day.
Business owners who reduce water use often find they also save money in reduced wastewater,
energy and chemical treatment costs. Our Major Customers team help customers achieve best
practice water and wastewater management for their business.
Sydney Water continues to provide a holistic service to business customers. By bringing together
customer connection services, trade waste, backflow prevention, compliance and water efficiency
assistance into one service area we can look at a business’ water use as a whole.
Services would include:
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 18- benchmarking water use - conducting water use monitoring - completing water audits - identifying water saving opportunities - rolling out water saving measures. 4.2.2 New recycled water opportunities In the future, we will proactively evaluate recycled water opportunities as part of an integrated water cycle management approach when planning recycled water services on our own sites, as well as recycled water services for customers. This approach is consistent with the concept of “one water” where we holistically consider all sources and end uses for water, and the benefits and costs of managing water, energy, and nutrients. Such an approach will ensure that we use the right water, of the right quality for the right purpose. Recycled water will be provided when: - it is economically efficient to do so - it is in the interests of customers - Sydney Water can recover its capital and operating costs. We are currently in the planning phase of water recycling projects in Hoxton Park, Ropes Crossing, Oran Park and Colebee. 4.3 Research and development activities 4.3.1 Water Master Planning As part of the development of our Water Master Plan, we will complete a major review of our water conservation program by July 2019. This will include ensuring that our water conservation program is effective at all dam levels. We will also be reviewing our water restrictions and making sure that if dam levels continue to drop, we will increase our water conservation activities in line with the ELWC methodology. As we introduced the new ELWC methodology in 2016, we will also be doing a review of the ELWC methodology to ensure it is working in practice and meeting its intended objectives. 4.3.2 Top 5 schools pilot project We will be working with schools who have high water use levels. We will provide an engagement program and technology to enable students to co-design water efficiency projects in their schools and homes. This pilot project will be started in 2018-19. Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 19
4.3.3 Leak detection trials Initiated in 2015, we are conducting a leak detection technology trial of TaKaDu. TaKaDu is a "software as a service" solution which continuously monitors flow, pressure and other available network data to identify deviations from normal pattern for the early detection of leaks and other system anomalies. 4.3.4 End use study: Understanding how customers use water at home Initiated in 2017, this end use study will develop Sydney-specific detailed estimates of how customers use water for specific purposes, such as showering, toilet flushing and clothes washing, to help inform future water conservation projects and water demand forecasting. This large-scale project involves installing special high resolution, high frequency meters on over 200 properties to collect water consumption data that will be broken down into various end use parameters. This metering project will be supported by a customer survey providing information on the types and efficiency of water using appliances present and other factors that influence their water use. 4.3.5 Using agent based models to understand the uptake of water conservation projects Sydney Water is currently piloting an agent based model in partnership with CSIRO as part of the Low Carbon Living Cooperative Research Council (CRC). Agent based modelling aims to predict the actions of individuals when interacting with each other and their environment. This model aims to understand the patterns of decisions made by different groups when they are offered water conservation projects. If successful, it will improve our understanding of the potential uptake of water conservation programs. 4.3.6 Weather and climate analytics research program Sydney Water is currently working with the Bureau of Meteorology and the University of New South Wales, exploring opportunities to improve and extend weather forecasts to better inform demand forecasts. The research is in two main areas: analysis of what Sydney’s water demand will look like under different climatic scenarios over the next five years; and 3-year weather and climate forecasting. This research aims to provide an indicator of possible scale and timing of a period of water security or drought. This work is fundamental to better incorporate longer term climate change impacts into longer demand forecasts and demand-supply planning. 4.3.7 Trial - Optimising leak reporting and response We are currently investigating how optimising Sydney Water’s response time to repair leaks reduces water loss. We currently prioritise the response to reported leaks on safety and on the volume of water that could be lost. We are also investigating ways to increase the community’s awareness of leaks and encourage them to report leaks. Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 20
4.3.8 Zoning strategy A zoning strategy will be developed and implemented for dividing large zones of the water distribution network into smaller metered areas to find and fix leaks quickly. Leaks can be found quicker and the program costs will be reduced if large zones with more than 15,000 connections are divided into smaller District Metered Areas (DMAs). This will allow for early detection of leaks to be responded to quickly 4.3.9 Trial - Digital meters A trial for Internet of Things (IoT) and installation of digital water meters in the western area will be implemented in the next two years to assess technology reliability and benefits in demand management, leakage management and customer service. The real time or near real time leakage assessment will enable quick find and fix leaks. Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 21
Appendix A Reporting Requirements
Reporting guide for auditors
Reporting Subject Location in report
Manual
Requirement
Clause 3.2.1 The elements of Sydney Water’s water conservation program for Section 2.2
Water the previous financial year Section 3
Conservation
Report The elements of Sydney Water’s water conservation program for Section 2.3,
at least the next five financial years Section 3
Section 4.1
Sydney Water’s strategies, programs and projects relating to Section 3
water leakage, recycled water and water efficiency Section 4
Sydney Water’s water conservation objectives, targets and Section 2.3
timetables, and extent to which these elements accord with the
economic level of water conservation activity and the Methodology
Describe and explain Sydney Water’s progress against each of Section 2.2
the elements of its water conservation program for the previous Section 3
financial year, including any deviations from this program Section 4
Describe and explain any changes to Sydney Water’s water Section 2.2
conservation program relative to the previous annual Water Section 3
Conservation Report (where applicable) Section 4
Outline how Sydney Water’s water conservation program relates Section 1
to the Metropolitan Water Plan and its progress against the Section 4.5.4
Metropolitan Water Plan
WC1 - Quantity of Drinking Water drawn by Sydney Water from all Section 2.1
sources, expressed in Gigalitres per year (aggregate), litres per
person per day (weather corrected) and kilolitres per person per
year (weather corrected) for the previous financial year, as well as
earlier financial years (where applicable) of the Licence term
WC2 - The level of water leakage from Sydney Water’s Drinking Section 3.3
Water supply system against the economic level of leakage for Appendix D
that financial year for the previous financial year, as well as earlier
financial years (where applicable) of the Licence term
WC3 - The volume of water sourced from Recycled Water (in Section 2.2
Megalitres) for the previous financial year, as well as earlier Section 3.4
financial years (where applicable) of the Licence term Appendix C
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 22Appendix B Method overview Demand forecasting and monitoring The method Sydney Water forecasts water demand to inform financial and water supply-demand planning by Sydney Water, WaterNSW and the NSW Government. The forecasts consider observed historical trends in demand and the potential impact changes in major water demand drivers may have on future demand for water. The latest update of the forecasts occurred in 2017–18 (Figure B-1). Forecasts assume average weather conditions and are aligned to the Department of Planning and Environment’s (DPE) dwelling and population projections. The observed demand will differ from forecast as drivers of demand deviate from average, expected or assumed values. For example, the expected deviation from the demand forecast due to normal weather variations is illustrated by the grey shading in Figure B-1. To enable adaptive planning and assist in making decisions for an uncertain future, Sydney Water has developed a range of plausible futures with an associated combination of demand drivers and their impacts. Three of these futures and associated forecasts (higher use, lower use and 'base case') were adopted for use in Metropolitan Water Planning in 2015. These futures provide an indication into the potential longer term level of demand under a set of assumed drivers and responses. The true future may not be explained solely by any of these individual futures, but they can be used to help consider futures that are different from our current or past experience. These forecasts should be used to understand the impact of demand drivers, and to think about what levers may be used to avoid an undesired future. They should not be used to address short term fluctuations in demand. Figure B-1 - Monitored and forecast demand for drinking water Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 23
The updated forecast incorporates:
• observed water use information
• latest population and dwelling projections (DPE, September 2016 release)
• end use trends resulting from new population and dwelling projections, e.g. presence of
more BASIX dwellings due to higher growth of development
• latest water prices for residential customers, and price elasticities for the non-residential
sector, as set in the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) Determination in
2016
• mid and long term demand assumptions, approved in 2015, used in in modelling for the
NSW Government’s 2017 Metropolitan Water Plan
• leakage projections based on estimates of actual leakage and the economic level of
leakage set in 2016.
Weather correction
Weather has significant impact on demand. Deviations from average weather conditions can
increase or decrease annual water consumption by up to 5% compared to consumption under
average weather conditions. Prolonged extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, can cause
more variation, particularly on a short term basis.
Figure B-2 - Deviations in average maximum temperature and average rainfall for each month
between July 2014 and June 2018. In 2017-18, all months except June were hotter and drier than
the long term average
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 24Climatic conditions have a strong influence on the levels of customer water use mainly because they affect outdoor and cooling tower use. Water use by residential customers is seasonal, with higher use over summer months and lower use when it’s colder. However, the difference in water use between summer and winter lessened in response to the water restrictions put in place during the last drought and have continued with the introduction of Water Wise Rules. Day-to-day and week-to-week changes in the weather can also cause short term fluctuations in water use, significantly above or below the seasonal trend. The purpose of weather correction (or ‘climate’ correction) is to remove, as much as we can, the impact of climatic variations. This helps us determine how much water would have been used under 'average weather conditions'. This is important, as year-to-year total demand figures may show significant variation. Weather correction is necessary to monitor and identify underlying demand trends. We use a model that reports ‘average year’ demand as a 365-day rolling average of water use in litres per person a day. The weather correction model we use does not remove seasonal variations in demand. However, corrections are made for weather conditions (temperature, rainfall and an evaporation index) that are significantly above or below average for that period of the year. We reviewed our weather correction model in 2009–10. As part of the review, we improved the predictive ability of the model. We also updated documentation of the model as part of this process. In 2014-15, we re-calibrated the model to only use data post water restrictions - that is data from July 2010 to June 2015 with no restrictions, only Water Wise Rules. We continue to investigate drivers of demand including extreme weather events and continued non-average weather conditions. Economic Level of Water Conservation The method The ELWC methodology was by approved by IPART in December 2016. It can be found on our website17, The ELWC methodology is designed to promote economically efficient investment in water conservation, including water efficiency, leakage and recycling. It evaluates whether the cost to society of a water conservation project is less than the value of water that it saves. If so, it is considered economically efficient. This methodology determines if the cost of the project is less than the value of the water saved. When the levelised cost (in dollars per kilolitre of water saved) of a project is lower than the value of water, we will implement it, subject to business case or funding approval. 17https://www.sydneywater.com.au/web/groups/publicwebcontent/documents/document/zgrf/mtg0/~edisp/ dd_184330.pdf Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 25
The levelised cost of each project has been assessed where we have reliable information to
estimate the costs, water savings and benefits (where they can be quantified) of individual
projects.
Our ELWC methodology is based on a marginal value framework, where investment in water
conservation could increase until the cost of saving an extra volume of water is just equal to the
cost of supplying an extra volume of water.
The value of water
For this report, the short-run value of water was estimated based on dam levels at the start of July
201818. Dam levels in early July 2018 were at 69.7%. The value of water is dependent on its
scarcity, so a high dam level results in a low short run value of water.
The long run value of water, which is intended to reflect long term investment in infrastructure and
supply, is not directly affected by dam storage levels. The long run value of water used for this
report reflects the regulated retail price of water that will apply during the 2018-19 financial year.
At the start of July 2018, the values of water were:
- Short-run value of water was $1.28 per kL
- Long-run value of water was $2.08 per kL
The period of time over which water savings are assumed to occur for a particular project
determines the value of water against which the project will be evaluated. See Table B-1.
Table B-1 Duration of water savings benefits vs the value of water
Duration of water saving benefits Value of water
5 years or less Short-run
6-19 years Intermediate (interpolated between long and short
run values)
20 years or more Long-run
Projects which fall into the Intermediate category will be assessed against a linear interpolation of
the short- and long-run values of water. This is shown in Figure B-3.
18 Value from the first weekly verified storage report released in July 2018.
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 26Economic Level of Water Conservation 2018 - Value of Water
$2.50
$2.08
$2.00 $1.97
Value of water ($ / kilolitre)
$1.87
$1.76
$1.65
$1.50 $1.54
$1.44
$1.28
$1.00
$0.50
$-
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Duration of water savings (years)
Figure B-3 - Short-run to Long-run values of water
Quantifying the ELWC
Once we have determined if our projects are economically efficient (i.e. the levelised cost is less
than the value of water), we calculate the ELWC. This is an estimate of the amount of water that
could be conserved each day by viable projects, based on our economic assessment of costs and
benefits across individual water conservation projects. We calculate the ELWC by adding the total
amount of water that could be saved during the five-year program across all the economically
viable and available projects and converting to an average ML/day basis.
Alignment with the Metropolitan Water Plan
The 2017 Metropolitan Water Plan was released in March 2017. The Plan is the NSW
Government’s plan to ensure there is sufficient water to meet the current and future (10-15 years)
needs of the people and environment of the Greater Sydney region. It was developed in
collaboration with state agencies, key industry stakeholders, the community, and water utilities,
including Sydney Water.
The Metropolitan Water Plan recognises the critical value of water conservation in balancing
supply and demand. It reinforces investment in economically efficient water conservation, which is
the intent of the ELWC methodology.
It also notes that investment will increase if demand rises rapidly. We are therefore monitoring
demand (Appendix B) to support our 5-year Water Conservation Plan and the 2017 Metropolitan
Water Plan.
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 27Appendix C Recycled water scheme performance
Table C-1 Summary of total recycled water supplied and volume of drinking water replaced by
recycled water initiatives in 2017–18
Recycled water scheme Water Volume of Water savings Type of use
Recycling water recycled (ML/year)
Plant (ML/year)
Kiama Golf Course Bombo 50 - Irrigation, golf course
BlueScope Steel Wollongong 2,506 2,506 Industrial
Port Kembla Coal Terminal Wollongong 219 219 Industrial
Wollongong Golf Club Wollongong 68 68 Irrigation, golf course
Wollongong City Council Wollongong 5 5 Irrigation, parks, sports fields
Warwick Farm Racecourse Liverpool 126 - Irrigation, race course
Liverpool Golf Club Liverpool 133 100 Irrigation, golf course
Industrial Foundation and
Rosehill 1,231 1,231 Industrial, race course
Rosehill Racecourse
Hickeys Lane Penrith 14 - Irrigation, parks, sports fields
Penrith Council parks Penrith 36 36 Irrigation, parks, sports fields
Quakers
Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club - - Irrigation, golf course
Hill
Quakers
Agricultural release 365 - Agricultural release
Hill
Residential,
Rouse Hill residential Rouse Hill 3,091 3,091
commercial
Castle Hill Golf Course Castle Hill 174 - Irrigation, golf course
Dunheved Golf Course St Marys 148 7 Irrigation, golf course
Agricultural release St Marys 2,428 - Agricultural release
Hawkesbury-Nepean St Marys
10,531 - Environmental flows
replacement flows19 WRP20
Elizabeth Macarthur West
146 - Irrigation, farm
Agricultural Institute Camden
West
Agricultural release 1,830 - Agricultural release
Camden
Richmond Golf Course Richmond 115 - Irrigation, golf course
University of Western Irrigation, farms, parks, sports
Richmond 531 -
Sydney, Hawkesbury fields
Picton Farm Picton 812 - Irrigation, farm
Aorangi Farm Gerroa 178 - Irrigation, farm
Sydney Water reuse at wastewater Industrial
18,097 1,995
recycling and treatment plants
Total for recycled water projects21 42,834 9,259
19 The St Marys Water Recycling Project (Replacement Flows) means that there is up to 18 billion litres more drinking water supply in
Warragamba dam. However, the project does not reduce the demand for drinking water so the number is not included in the total for
drinking water saved.
20 Water Recycling Plant (WRP)
21 Totals listed may not balance exactly with numbers in the table due to rounding.
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 28Appendix D Leakage management performance
Key leak management statistics
Table D-1 details our key statistics for leak management in 2017-18. Our leakage level was above
the range of our ELL.
Table D-1 Key leak management statistics 2017-18
Key statistics 2017-18 2016-17
Actual Leakage (refer Water balance) 129.5 ML/day 114 ML/day
Economic Level of Leakage (ELL) 108±1622 ML/day 104±1623
ML/day
Number of bursts, breaks and leaks (low priority) 2,550 3,013
Average time to repair water main breaks (low priority) 375 hours 192 hours
Number of bursts, breaks and leaks (high priority) 12,129 9,289
Average time to repair water main breaks (high priority) 98 hours 44 hours
Length of mains inspected 9,019 km 8,008 km
Infrastructure Leakage Index24 1.63 1.45
The ELL for the 2017-18 period was estimated to be 108±16 ML/day which was calculated using
the short run cost of water against a dam level above 80%, which was the case in 2017. The level
of water leakage for this year is outside this band.
An initial review has identified that the rise in leakage has been triggered by the prolonged period
of hotter and drier weather over the last 18 months compared to average weather conditions. This
has led to an increased number of leaks on the network. The higher number of leaks has resulted
in an increase in the time leaks have been running.
Sydney Water is undertaking a detailed review of leakage to quantify all factors behind the leakage
rise and to adjust our leakage management program as required. This includes recruitment of new
maintenance staff, supplemented by private sector crews.
22 Calculated at the beginning of 2017-18, with range in line with that previously approved by IPART
23 Calculated at the beginning of 2016-17, with range in line with that previously approved by IPART
24 The ILI is a standard introduced by World Bank includes bands from A (reflecting best practice) to D, with
recommendations for both developed and developing countries. Sydney Water’s ILI of 1.63 is in the top band
(Band A) and compares well against other developed countries. By world standards Sydney Water rates in
the top 10% of water utilities for minimising leaks.
Water Conservation Report | 2017-2018 Page | 29Water balance
Sydney Water uses the water balance method to estimate average losses (leakage) from our
water supply systems. The water balance is a reconciliation of the volume of water we produce
with all known and estimated end uses subtracted. The remaining volume is estimated to be
leakage.
Sydney Water follows the methods, definitions and terminology recommended by the International
Water Association (IWA). The Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) also supports this
approach.
Table D-2 Water Balance Results for year ending in quarter 2017/18 Q4 (Figures in ML)
Billed authorised Billed metered
Revenue water
consumption consumption
528,875
532,635 532,635
Billed unmetered
consumption
Authorised 3,760
consumption
Unbilled
Unbilled metered
authorised
consumption
537,228 consumption
647
4,593
Unbilled
unmetered
Water supplied consumption
3,946
595,87925
Non revenue
Unauthorised
Apparent losses water
consumption
11,390 63,244 596
Customer meter
Water losses
under-registration
58,651 10,793
Real losses from
Real losses distribution
system
47,261 47,262 – 9.0%26
(129.5 ML/d)
25 This number is different to total water use stated earlier in the report. The difference is due to different
timeframes. Total water use is measured from water supplied between 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018. The
water balance is calculated between May 2017 and May 2018.
26 Percentage in relation to base year of 2005/06 water supplied
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