When the first of 5,000 residents move into the vast Central Park development on Broadway, they’ll be part of a major first for Sydney: water supplied by a private operator instead of Sydney Water.

Water Factory, a private company, has partnered with developer Frasers Property to deliver drinking water, manage wastewater, and recycle grey water for 1,800 apartments and commercial spaces. At the heart of the project is an underground treatment facility located in the basement—an advanced system that will collect, clean, and reuse water for toilets, washing machines, gardens, and even air-conditioning towers.

A New Era in Urban Water Supply

According to Water Factory founder Terry Leckie, the Central Park treatment plant will be the largest private water facility ever built for a high-rise residential project in Australia. This milestone is made possible by the NSW Government’s Water Industry Competition Act 2006, which opened the door for licensed private operators to supply and treat water in urban developments.

While several Sydney projects—such as Westfield Pitt Street Mall, No.1 Bligh Street, and Google’s Pyrmont campus—have successfully introduced grey-water recycling, Central Park goes a step further. It delivers a fully integrated private water and sewerage system, combining innovation, sustainability, and decentralised management into one landmark project.

This development forms part of the NSW Government’s broader vision for green urban renewal, as recognised by the Bradfield Development Authority’s Central Park initiative, which highlights the project as a model for next-generation infrastructure planning.

What It Means for Residents

For Central Park residents, the biggest difference will be how water is billed. Instead of the traditional single building meter, each apartment will have its own individual water meter—just like standalone homes. This creates transparency and accountability, encouraging households to monitor and reduce water usage.

Sewage and wastewater treatment charges will also be tied directly to each apartment’s drinking water consumption. This fairer model means residents who conserve water will see real savings on their bills, while those who use more will pay accordingly. It’s a shift from collective utility billing to a more personalised, performance-based system.

Why It Matters for Strata Living

This new model signals a significant evolution in how strata communities manage utilities. For the first time, a high-rise development is showing that private operators can deliver essential services more efficiently than traditional monopolies. If replicated across other projects, this approach could give owners corporations and developers more flexibility, more choice, and more incentive to invest in sustainable water infrastructure.

Beyond cost savings, it also enhances environmental accountability. On-site water recycling reduces pressure on Sydney’s central water system, lowers energy costs for pumping, and supports NSW’s long-term sustainability targets. For strata residents, it represents not just a greener footprint—but greater control over the essential resources that power daily life.

The Bigger Picture

Central Park’s system could pave the way for a new wave of mixed-use and residential projects in urban and regional areas, particularly where centralised utilities are stretched or unavailable. With state support and proven economic feasibility, private water networks could soon become a fixture of future strata developments across NSW.

For owners, committees, and developers considering future projects, the Central Park model demonstrates how innovation in infrastructure can lead to greater autonomy, lower long-term costs, and genuine sustainability.

Final Word

As Sydney grows denser and more complex, private utility systems like Central Park’s water network may become a cornerstone of urban living. For strata residents, it’s a glimpse of what the future holds: self-sufficient buildings that manage their own resources responsibly and transparently.