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National Water Account 2015

Sydney: Water resources and systems

Warragamba Dam, New South Wales (iStock © Kokkai Ng)

Introduction

The following set of notes provides consolidated reports for each of the water stores and systems within the Sydney region during the 2014–15 year. Information on all water flows to and from each water store and system are presented in this note, including between-store flows and transfers that are not presented in the consolidated water accounting statements (which are shown in italics).

For more information about the region, please refer to the General description section of the 'Contextual information'. For more information on between-store flows and transfers that occur in the region, please refer to the Supporting information note. 

 

Surface water

Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities

The Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities presents the volume of water assets and water liabilities at the start and end of the reporting year.

Surface water assets of the region include physical water assets (e.g. storages and rivers) and rights or claims to water. Surface water liabilities include commitments to deliver water to users at the end of the year. The closing net water assets are the volume of surface water assets in the region minus the surface water liabilities at the end of the reporting year (Figure N14).

 

Figure N14 Surface water assets and surface water liabilities for the region at 30 June 2015
Figure N14 Surface water assets and surface water liabilities for the region at 30 June 2015

 

Details on the region's surface water assets and surface water liabilities for the 2014–15 year are also provided in Table N18.

 
Table N18 Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities as at 30 June 2015 for the surface water store
 2015
ML		2014
ML
Water assets  
Storages2,661,6782,386,167
Unregulated river3,2881,903
Regulated river––
Lakes and wetlands––
Inter-region claim on water
2,3672,367
Total water assets2,667,3332,390,437
   
Water liabilities  
Allocation remaining: individual users00
Allocation remaining: urban system0 0
Total water liabilities00
   
Opening net water assets2,390,4372,840,751
Change in net water assets276,896(450,314)
Closing net water assets2,667,3332,390,437
 
 

Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities

The Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities presents the changes in water assets and water liabilities that occurred during the reporting year.

This statement is prepared on an accrual basis. Figure N15 shows the transactions that changed the surface water assets and surface water liabilities of the region, including:

  • accrual (non-physical) transactions, indicated by the glass of water symbols
  • actual water flows (both natural and engineered), indicated by the arrows.
 
 
Figure N15 Changes in surface water assets and surface water liabilities for the region during the 2014–15 year
Figure N15 Changes in surface water assets and surface water liabilities for the region during the 2014–15 year

 
Detail on the changes in surface water assets and surface water liabilities for the 2014–15 year is also provided in Table N19.
 
 
Table N19 Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities for the 2014–15 year for the surface water store
 2015
ML		2014
ML
Water asset increases  
Precipitation155,84891,668
Runoff5,239,5111,986,928
Discharge: wastewater83,053 59,678
Discharge: user82,485
Claims: inter-region11,834 11,834
Total water asset increases5,490,2542,152,593
   
Water liability decreases  
Adjustment and forfeiture: individual users134,553116,485
Adjustment and forfeiture: urban system497,693483,557
Total water liability decreases632,246600,042
   
Water asset decreases  
Evaporation166,963168,947
Outflow4,403,694 1,724,770
Diversion: statutory rights32,530 32,530
Claims: inter-region8,766 4,335
Total water asset decreases4,611,9531,930,582
   
Water liability increases  
Allocation: individual users159,480159,462
Allocation: urban system1,040,588 1,040,588
Total water liability increases1,200,068 1,200,050
   
Balancing item—surface water(33,583)(72,317)
   
Change in net water assets276,896 (450,314)

 

Statement of Water Flows

The Statement of Water Flows presents the actual water inflows and outflows associated with the water stores of the region that occurred during the reporting year.

Figure N16 shows the actual surface water flows, including flows corresponding to the accrual transactions shown in Figure N15 above (red arrows).

 

 

Figure N16 Surface water flows for the region during the 2014–15 year
Figure N16 Surface water flows for the region during the 2014–15 year

 

Detail on the surface water flows for the 2014–15 year is also provided in Table N20.

 

Table N20 Statement of Water flows for the 2014–15 year for the surface water store
 2015
ML		2014
ML
Water inflows  
Precipitation155,84891,668
Runoff5,239,5111,986,928
Discharge: wastewater83,05359,678
Discharge: user82,485
Delivery: inter-region agreement3,068 7,499
Total water inflows5,481,4882,148,258
   
Water outflows  
Evaporation166,963168,947
Outflow4,403,6941,724,770
Diversions: statutory rights32,53032,530
Allocation diversion: individual users24,92742,977
Allocation diversion: urban system542,895557,031
Total water outflows5,171,0092,526,255
   
Balancing item—surface water(33,583)(72,317)
   
Opening water storage2,388,0702,838,384
Change in water storage276,896(450,314)
Closing water storage2,664,9662,388,070

 

Urban water system

Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities

The Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities presents the volume of water assets and water liabilities at the start and end of the reporting year.

Urban water system assets of the region include physical water assets (e.g. water within the urban supply, wastewater and recycled water systems) and rights or claims to water. The total net water assets are the sum of the physical water assets in the system and the water claims at the end of the reporting year (Figure N17).

 

Figure N17 Urban water assets and urban water liabilities for the region at 30 June 2015
Figure N17 Urban water assets and urban water liabilities for the region at 30 June 2015

 

Detail on the region's urban water systems assets and urban water claims for the 2014–15 year is also provided in Table N21.

 
 
Table N21 Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities as at 30 June 2015 for the urban water system
 2015
ML		2014
ML
Water assets  
Supply system97–
Wastewater––
Recycled water––
Claims: inter-region356356
Claims: surface water00
Total water assets 453356
   
Opening net water assets356356
Change in net water assets970
Closing net water assets453356

 

Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities

The Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities presents the changes in water assets and water liabilities that occurred during the reporting year.

This statement is prepared on an accrual basis. Figure N18 shows the transactions that change the urban water system assets and urban water claims of the region, including:

  • accrual (non-physical) transactions, indicated by the glass of water symbols
  • actual water flows (both natural and engineered), indicated by the arrows.

 

Figure N18 Changes in urban water assets and urban water liabilities for the region during the 2014–15 year
Figure N18 Changes in urban water assets and urban water liabilities for the region during the 2014–15 year 


Detail on the changes in urban water system assets and urban water claims for the 2014–15 year is also provided in Table N22.

 
Table N22 Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities for the 2014–15 year for the urban water system
 2015
ML		2014
ML
Water asset increases  
Wastewater collected547,009480,243
Recycled water delivery: inter-region1,387 1,580
Claims: inter-region1,7781,778
Claims: surface water1,040,5881,040,588
Total water asset increases1,590,7621,524,189
   
Water asset decreases  
Evaporation0253
Leakage: groundwater37,21040,390
Supply system delivery: urban users478,372487,104
Recycled water delivery: urban users20,51522,018
Supply system discharge: surface water00
Wastewater and recycled water discharge: surface water83,05359,678
Discharge: sea443,546394,499
Supply system transfer: inter-region5,3324,258
Claims: inter-region1,085989
Claims: surface water497,693483,557
Other supply system decreases14,74315,153
Other wastewater and recycled water system decreases03,756
Total water asset decreases1,581,5491,511,655
   
Balancing item—urban water system(9,116)(12,534)
   
Change in net water assets970

 

Statement of Water Flows

The Statement of Water Flows presents the actual water inflows and outflows associated with the water stores of the region that occurred during the reporting year.

Figure N19 shows the actual surface water flows, including flows corresponding to the accrual transactions shown in Figure N18 above (red arrows).

 

Figure N19 Urban water flows for the region during the 2014–15 year

Figure N19 Urban water flows for the region during the 2014–15 year

 

Detail on the urban water system flows for the 2014–15 year is also provided in Table N23.

 

Table N23 Statement of Water Flows for the 2014–15 year for the urban water system
 2015
ML		2014
ML
Water inflows  
Wastewater collected547,009480,243
Recycled water delivery: inter-region1,3871,580
Delivery: inter-region agreement693789
Allocated diversion: surface water542,895557,031
Total water inflows1,091,9841,039,643
   
Water outflows 
Evaporation0253
Leakage: groundwater37,21040,390
Supply system delivery: urban users478,372487,104
Recycled water delivery: urban users20,51522,018
Wastewater and recycled water discharge: surface water83,05359,678
Discharge: sea443,546394,499
Supply system transfer: inter-region5,3324,258
Other supply system decreases14,74315,153
Other wastewater and recycled water system decreases03,756
Total water outflows1,082,7711,027,109
   
Balancing item—urban water system(9,116)(12,534)
   
Opening water storage00
Change in water storage970
Closing water storage970