Water
Water is our most valuable natural resource. Sydney faces threats to its water supply due to population growth, economic development and climate change impacts. Leichhardt residents perform well compared to the Sydney average with regards to per capita water consumption, however this is partly due to small garden sizes across the area and associated lower irrigation activity.
Leichhardt currently has limited water harvesting facilities within the LGA and relies predominantly on Sydney Water for water supply. However the installation of 450,000 litres of rainwater storage capacity at Leichhardt Oval in 2009 represents Council's first large-scale stormwater harvesting project and demonstrates the potential for large-scale water capture and reuse schemes in the inner city.
As part of its Environmental Sustainability Strategy Leichhardt Council aims to provide support to the community in its efforts to use water more efficiently and conserve potable water supply. It is also taking steps to control, monitor and prevent water pollution and improve the quality of stormwater discharged to Sydney Harbour.