Infrastructure NSW publishes the fourth edition of the State Infrastructure Strategy (2022-42)
Background context
Infrastructure NSW (INSW) has today released the State Infrastructure Strategy 2022-2042: Staying Ahead (2022 SIS) on behalf of the NSW Government, the fourth edition since the inaugural SIS was released in 2012.
The 2022 SIS outlines INSW’s independent advice to the NSW Government on the State’s needs and strategic priorities for infrastructure over the next 20 years. The 2022 SIS has been developed around 9 long-term objectives, each of which is captured as a stand-alone Chapter in the Strategy. Objectives include (INSW, 2022):
Boost economy-wide productivity and competitiveness
Service growing communities
Embed reliability and resilience
Achieve an orderly and efficient net zero transition
Enhance long-term water security
Protect our natural endowments
Harness the power of data and digital technology
Integrate infrastructure, land use and services
Design the investment program to endure.
Consistent with these objectives, the 2022 SIS provides 57 recommendations to the NSW Government that respond to the State’s changing economic, social and environmental outlook.
A snapshot of the 2022 SIS recommendations focused on the water and resource recovery sectors is outlined below, with more detail available via the respective URL links.
Water recommendations
Recommendation 19: establish a program of prioritised resilience infrastructure and accelerate project delivery
Recommendation 28: increase the resilience of Greater Sydney’s water supply through a full range of options, including better conservation and more diverse sources
Recommendation 29: develop a roadmap for the adoption of purified recycled drinking water, including measures to build community support and demonstrate the efficacy of the technology
Recommendation 30: improve water security and quality in regional NSW
Recommendation 31: investigate and propose alternatives to the delivery of major dam projects in the Peel, Lachlan and Border Rivers catchments
Recommendation 32: bolster long-term funding and capability to support financial sustainability of Local Water Utilities and ensure minimum service levels are achieved
Recommendation 35: promote the development of a blue-green infrastructure network across NSW.
Resource recovery recommendations
Recommendation 36: identify and plan for future waste infrastructure needs as part of the Greater Sydney Region Plan and Regional Plans.
