Regional Leakage Reduction Program

Addressing leakage

Addressing network leakage and water loss is a key priority of the Water Efficiency Program.

The need to focus on local water utilities’ network leakage and water losses became apparent during the drought and has been reinforced during consultation with councils and the wider sector as part of the Town Water Risk Reduction Program.

The department is undertaking a Regional Leakage Reduction program in collaboration with the NSW Water Directorate and local water utilities that targets the pillars of effective leakage management. The program focuses on where the NSW Government can provide the most value to local water utilities, enhancing their ability to identify leaks and target and fix leaks as part of their asset management frameworks.

Active leak detection

Since 2022, the Active Leak Detection Project has surveyed a total of 17,500 km of water mains at 60 regional local water utilities. To date, 9,950ML/year of network leaks have been found and 7,500ML/year of leaks have been fixed by local water utilities. By repairing these leaks councils are saving water and money in regional NSW.

The department has engaged specialist leak detectors to work closely with local water utilities across regional NSW.

Network Leakage Reduction Grants for local water utilities

The Regional Leakage Reduction Program grants have been awarded to local water utilities to help reduce non-revenue water levels. The program is co-funding selected projects with local water utilities in the areas of capacity building, pressure management, leakage control and metering.

Example projects include the supply, installation and capacity building in the use of:

• pressure data loggers
• pressure reducing valves
• leak noise loggers
• electronic listening sticks and ground microphones
• bulk and district metered area meters
• accuracy testing of customer meters.

A list of grant recipients can be found at NSW Government Grants and Funding. For more information about the program or future funding please email us at water.enquiries@dpie.nsw.gov.au.

Central NSW Joint Organisation partnership

The department is partnering with the Central NSW Joint Organisation to deliver the Regional Water Loss Management Hub with its member councils to reduce non-revenue water loss across 11 local water utilities. After the success of a trial that commenced in 2022 the program is now being rolled out to up to a dozen more councils, members of the Western Water Utilities Alliance.

The program leverages local expertise to ensure communities can share technology, equipment, knowledge and skills, to reduce costs and improve water efficiency. The program saves water by helping councils hone-in on efficiencies and knowledge gaps, improve training and identify and repair leaks throughout water networks. The expansion will also an include a focus on water efficiency in the wider community as a further effort in reducing water use and drought preparedness.