New technology should help augment NSW water supplies.

Sydney Water, facing a 2 per cent drop in Warragamba Dam levels and a 0.3 per cent decline in Greater Sydney's overall dam capacity in the past week, is investing $26 million in a Purified Recycled Water (PRW) demonstration plant in Western Sydney. 

The initiative is part of a 30-year plan to address water security challenges and reduce dependence on rainfall.

The PRW plant, located in Quakers Hill, is the first of its kind in NSW and aims to showcase advanced technology for treating recycled water to supplement the city's drinking water sources. 

Sydney Water says the utility needs to explore alternative water supply options, such as desalination and purified recycled water, to adapt to changing climates and intensifying weather events.

The Long-Term Capital and Operational Plan (LTCOP) outlines Sydney Water's commitment to investing over $30 billion in the next decade to upgrade existing infrastructure, addressing challenges posed by population growth, climate change, and ageing facilities. 

The PRW demonstration plant, producing 0.5 megalitres per day, aligns with global practices, as more than 35 cities worldwide, including Singapore, Orange County (USA), San Diego (USA), and Perth (Western Australia), already incorporate PRW as a safe and reliable component of their drinking water supply. 

The initiative aims to demonstrate the viability of this technology and reinforce the city's resilience against future water crises.