Following the pricing regulator’s draft decision to slash Sydney Water’s infrastructure investment by $5.9 billion, CCF NSW is stepping in to back the civil works our state urgently needs.
IPART’s recent draft ruling cuts 35% from Sydney Water’s proposed capital program – undermining the infrastructure required to deliver housing, support growth, and secure long-term water reliability. It’s a short-term saving that risks long-term pain for NSW.
Premier Chris Minns last year wrote to IPART urging it to prioritise cost-of-living impacts and explore ways to “reduce the proposed capital program with least cost planning principles.” The Energy & Water Ombudsman echoed this, warning of added pressure on vulnerable households.
But CCF NSW’s position is these cuts would come at a cost: less infrastructure for infill housing and fewer pipes for greenfield areas. That means slower housing delivery, more future water insecurity, and fewer opportunities for industry to get on with the job.
For civil contractors, it would mean more uncertainty in a challenging market. NSW has already seen a 37% drop in transport commencements, and other NSW Government work is slow to materialise or bundled for tier 1s.
Our NSW Civil Infrastructure Forecast to 2034 shows utility investment is set to grow significantly, and it needs to. You can’t build 400,000 new homes without new pipes, treatment plants, and pumping stations. Our members are ready to deliver. What’s missing is certainty and political will.
CCF NSW has contacted Sydney Water to confirm our support and will be making a submission to IPART to call for the full funding of Sydney Water’s proposed infrastructure spend. These are not discretionary projects, they’re essential to housing delivery, industry resilience, and future-proofing our communities.
IPART’s draft determination would cut $5.9 billion—35%—from Sydney Water’s capital program. While cost-of-living pressures are real, deferring investment now puts housing supply, water security, and long-term economic resilience at risk.
Our NSW Civil Infrastructure Forecast to 2034 shows a coming boom in utilities and essential infrastructure, especially across Western Sydney. But we can’t deliver what’s needed without certainty.
NSW has already seen a 37% drop in transport commencements, and other public work is slow to materialise. Many projects are commercially tight or unviable. Our contractors are ready to build the pipelines, pumping stations and treatment plants Sydney needs—they just need political will and long-term thinking to unlock the pipeline.
This isn’t just about bills. It’s about securing the water infrastructure needed to support 400,000 new homes—and ensuring future generations aren’t left to pay the price of inaction.
We’ll be making a strong case to IPART for timely, fully funded infrastructure delivery.
Thank you to all members that shared their views. Read the full submission document here.