Reconciliation of future water demand and supply in Western Sydney, Australia

The growing population and climate change is putting pressure on the limited fresh water resources in Western Sydney (Australia), and is forcing water management strategies to be revisited. This paper intends to inform and help water managers in formulating water management strategies to live in harmony with less water in this urban and peri-urban landscape. As a case study, this paper presents quantification of different water demands, availability and supply options in South Creek catchment, Western Sydney. The macro analysis presented here shows that if contemporary water practices continued there would be a two-fold increase in potable water demand around year 2025 in the South Creek catchment. However, there is potential 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. Our analysis clearly indicates that there is need to reduce water consumption, improve water efficiency, recycle more effluent and harvest stormwater to reconcile future water demands with available water supplies in South Creek catchment. The challenge is to match the right water quantity with right water user, and putting in place the necessary infrastructure and mechanisms for sustainable water management in the region