Advanced Operational Support

AOS aims to improve public health and safety in regional NSW by reducing drinking water quality risks. It will achieve this by delivering key outcomes, including:

• reduced risk of water quality incidents
• enhanced local water utility capability to identify and respond to issues
• improved local water utility understanding of operational processes.

Since 2023, AOS has invested more than $10 million supporting local water utilities, including $4.1 million in direct grants toward water treatment plant improvements.

AOS provides valuable assistance to local water utilities. At no cost to councils, it aims to address challenges faced by operators in adapting their training to specific water treatment infrastructure and water quality changes.

AOS offers expert personnel, on-site assessment, advice, online monitoring solutions, and training to optimise water treatment plant operations, helping operators improve their skills and effectively manage water quality.

AOS is being delivered in 3 parts:

• Part 1a:   A targeted assessment of existing online monitoring system capability by a specialist service provider in collaboration with the LWU (August 2025 – June 2027)
• Part 1b: Intensive onsite support including assessment of overall plant operational risk and issues by expert department personnel, collated into an Operational Improvement Opportunities plan (August 2025 – June 2027)
• Part 2: Grant implementation and support to address issues identified in Part 1a and/or Part 1b  (July 2026 – June 2028).

Outcomes from AOS are also being used to inform future government support and collaboration with the sector to further reduce risks.
 

AOS participants so far

Between March 2023 and June-2025, AOS formally supported 18 water treatment plants across regional NSW. Because of its success, AOS has been extended to June 2028 and will support another 20 plants.

This extension (Phase 3) started in July 2025 and will follow a similar formula, with   additional local water utility-owned water treatment plants now also participating in the program as shown below (blue pins are Phase 2 and orange pins are Phase 3 locations).
 

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