We have prepared an Integrated Water Cycle Management (IWCM) Strategy which is now open for comment. The aim of the Strategy is to provide direction for the future water and wastewater service needs out to 2051 in a balanced and sustainable manner.

Read the draft strategy

The community is invited to provide feedback via the details below.

Customer and stakeholder feedback received will inform the final update to the IWCM. The updated IWCM will then be submitted to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water for concurrence and then made available to the general public on www.essentialwater.com.au.

What is Integrated Water Cycle Management?

The NSW Government requires local water utilities to prepare and implement a 30-year IWCM Strategy. The strategy must be evidence-based and consider the relationship between the urban water cycle (water supply and sewage) and community expectations. The aim of the IWCM Strategy is to ensure urban water services are appropriate, affordable, and sustainable while meeting community needs and protecting public health and the environment.
IWCM helps to identify water management strengths and problems; to address these problems; to determine the appropriate management responses; and to manage the impacts so that social, environmental, and economic objectives are met.

What areas are included in the Integrated Water Cycle Management?

The IWCM Strategy covers the water supply and sewer catchment of the Essential Water network. The IWCM covers the water supply and sewer catchments of Essential Water including Broken Hill and surrounding townships of Menindee, Silverton, Sunset Strip as well as bulk water transfer pipeline customers.

Essential Water serviced communities

Where does our water come from?

The region is the most arid in the state and experiences extreme climatic variations including more frequent droughts than coastal areas.

Historically the Broken Hill town water supply was dependent on water sourced from the Darling River and pumped to Broken Hill via more than 120 km of pipeline. In 2019, the Darling River supply source was replaced by the Murray River via a 280 km pipeline and 760 ML bulk water storage connecting the Murray River at Wentworth to Broken Hill Water Treatment Plant. The Menindee town water supply is still sourced from the Darling River.

Communities served by Essential Water

Community	Water supply scheme	Sewerage service	Water Source
Broken Hill	Broken Hill Potable Water Supply Scheme Broken Hill Non-Residential Non-Potable Water Supply Scheme	Broken Hill Sewerage Scheme	Murray River
Silverton	Silverton Chlorinated Non-Potable Water Supply Scheme	On-site sewage management systems	Murray River
Menindee	Menindee Potable Water Supply Scheme	On-site sewage management systems	Darling River
Sunset Strip	Sunset Strip Chlorinated Non-Potable Water Supply Scheme	On-site sewage management systems	Murray River
Rural pipelines	Untreated - Non-Potable Water Bulk Water Pipeline	On-site sewage management systems	Murray River Stephens Creek Reservoir

 

What is water security?

Water security is about our community having access to an adequate, reliable, and resilient quantity and quality of water for health, livelihoods, ecosystems, and productive economies.

Determining water security

Water security is assessed by investigating the highest annual volume of water we predict that we can get from our water supply scheme, without breaching certain requirements. We understand how important the Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy is to the community, and we want to hear your feedback.

Have Your Say

• You can provide your feedback by:
  Emailing your feedback to haveyoursay@essentialwater.com.au
• Using our Contact Us online form
• Posting to:
  Head of Water
  273 Wills Street
  Block 10 Field Service Centre
  Broken Hill NSW 2880

All submissions must be received by close of business Friday 13 December 2024.