1. Sydney Water serves about 5.2 million population with drinking water. Its water asset base includes 150 water pumping stations, 249 reservoirs and more than 22,300 km of water mains.
  2. Sydney water provides sewer services to about 5.1 million population. Its sewer asset base includes 16 wastewater treatment plants, 689 wastewater pumping stations and more than 26,150 km wastewater mains.
  3. Sydney water provides recycled water to about 100,000 population. Its recycled water asset base includes 9 recycled water reservoirs, 10 recycled water pumping stations, 14 water recycling plants and more than 750 km recycled water mains.
  4. Water supply connections in Sri Lanka have increased from 1.8 million to 2.4 million increasing the coverage from 44% to 52%.
  5. Piped sewerage service coverage in Sri Lanka is only about 2%.
  6. In NSW there are 96 water utilities comprising 4 metropolitan utilities (Sydney Water, Hunter Water, Water NSW and Hawkesbury Council) and 92 regional Local Water Utilities (LWUs). The 92 LWUs comprise 88 local government councils (under Local Government Act 1993) and 4 LWUs (Central Coast Council, Cobar Water Board, Fish River Water Supply and Essential Energy) under the Water Management Act 2000. Of the 92 LWUs 84 are responsible for water supply (including 3 for bulk supply – Cobar Water Board, Fish River Water Supply and Rous Water), 86 are responsible for sewerage and 78 are responsible for both water supply and sewerage, 6 for water supply only and 8 for sewerage only.
  7. Australian national total rainfall for 2019 was 40% below the 1961-1990 average at 277.6 mm (the 1961-1990 average is 465.2 mm). This makes 2019 the driest year in the 119 years since 1900.
  8. The Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) is the peak industry body that connects the Australian urban water industry, representing over 104 public and privately-owned water or water related organisations. WSAA members provide water and sewerage services to over 20 million customers in Australia and New Zealand.
  9. Australian Water Association (AWA) is Australia’s leading membership association for water professionals and organisations. It plays an essential role in supporting the Australian water sector in the delivery of effective and sustainable water management practices.
  10. Water Directorate advocates on behalf of the regional water sector in partnership with Local Government NSW, harnessing its unique relationship with rural and regional councils. Water Directorate provides the technical support for member’s operations as the peak body for NSW local water utilities.
  11. The Water Industry Operators Association of Australia (WIOA) is a national non-for-profit association with a primary role of facilitating the collection, development and exchange of quality information between people undertaking operational roles in the water, wastewater and recycled water industries.
  12. World Water Day is an annual UN observance day (always on 22 March) that highlights the importance of freshwater. The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. The first World Water Day, designated by the United Nations, was in 1993.