Senior representatives from ACCIONA, Sydney Water and SMEC have formally signed the agreement for the Malabar System Alliance (MSA), marking the start of a ten-year Malabar System Investment Program to expand and modernise wastewater treatment capacity across the city’s south and west through coordinated upgrades to key facilities.

The program will support population and service growth by improving system resilience, enhancing environmental performance and enabling more sustainable water management across the network.

Rob Dierkx, Alliance Manager at ACCIONA, said the contract signing marked an important milestone in the partnership with Sydney Water and SMEC.
“The Malabar System Alliance is focused on delivering reliable, resilient and efficient wastewater services that keep pace with Sydney’s growth while protecting local waterways and communities,” Mr Dierkx said.

“Through an integrated alliance approach, the team will align design, construction and operations to achieve the best outcomes for customers, the environment and the broader metropolitan network.” He said.

ACCIONA has partnered with SMEC to form the MSA, which will work with Sydney Water to deliver a staged pipeline of wastewater infrastructure upgrades. The first scheme within the program focuses on improvements to the Liverpool and Glenfield Water Resource Recovery Facilities, strengthening the wastewater network and consolidating treatment to a single secondary facility to improve long-term operational performance.

MSA’s innovative design maximises future opportunities for purified recycled water production and controlled river release, while optimising investment across the system. By applying state-of-the-art processes and technology, the design is expected to deliver up to a 60 per cent improvement in energy efficiency and support more sustainable management of resources over the life of the assets.

MSA brings together the complementary skills of ACCIONA and SMEC in planning and delivering advanced wastewater treatment upgrades that enhance capacity, performance and environmental sustainability.

To date, the partners have successfully collaborated on more than $3 billion worth of projects across Australia, building a strong track record in complex infrastructure delivery.

Construction on the first scheme is scheduled to commence following detailed design and procurement, with completion expected in 2029.

As the Malabar System Investment Program progresses, the alliance is expected to play a key role in supporting Sydney’s growth, strengthening critical infrastructure and advancing more sustainable approaches to water and wastewater management.