Hunter Water
New South Wales
Avg. Quality Score
Overview
Hunter Water provides drinking water and wastewater services to over half a million people in the Lower Hunter region of New South Wales. The utility’s service area covers approximately 5,700 square kilometres, encompassing Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock, and parts of Port Stephens and Dungog local government areas.
History and Formation
Hunter Water’s history dates back to 1892 when the Hunter District Water Board was established to manage water supply for the rapidly growing industrial region around Newcastle. The organisation was restructured as Hunter Water Corporation in 1992 under the Hunter Water Act 1991, transitioning to a state-owned corporation model. Throughout its history, Hunter Water has expanded its infrastructure to keep pace with population growth and evolving water quality standards.
Water Sources
The utility draws its raw water from a network of dams and weirs located in the Williams River and Chichester River catchments. The principal storages are Grahamstown Dam and Chichester Dam. Grahamstown Dam, located near Raymond Terrace, is the largest off-river storage in the Southern Hemisphere, with a capacity of approximately 182 gigalitres. It is filled by pumping water from the Williams River. Chichester Dam, built in the 1920s in the Barrington Tops area, provides high-quality water from a largely forested and protected catchment.
Tomago Sandbeds, a large underground aquifer near Newcastle Airport, serves as an additional emergency water source. The sandbeds can supply up to 30 megalitres per day when activated.
Treatment Infrastructure
Hunter Water operates five water treatment plants. The Grahamstown Water Treatment Plant is the largest, processing the majority of the region’s supply. Other plants include Chichester, Dungog, Lemon Tree Passage, and Anna Bay. Treatment processes across these facilities include coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, dual-media filtration, and disinfection. Fluoride is added at all major plants in accordance with NSW Health requirements.
Distribution Network
The distribution system comprises approximately 5,000 kilometres of water mains, 63 reservoirs, and 80 pumping stations. The network serves around 240,000 properties across the Lower Hunter. Given the region’s varied topography, the system includes multiple pressure zones to maintain reliable supply.
Water Quality Monitoring
Hunter Water conducts extensive water quality monitoring throughout its supply systems, testing for compliance with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. The utility collects thousands of samples each year from catchments, treatment plants, and the distribution network. Key parameters monitored include microbial indicators, turbidity, pH, chlorine residual, and various chemical constituents. Water quality results are published in annual reports and are publicly accessible.
Recent Projects
Hunter Water has invested in significant infrastructure upgrades in recent years, including the construction of the Hunter Water Centre, improvements to wastewater treatment plants, and the Lower Hunter Water Security Plan. The utility is also exploring recycled water and stormwater harvesting options to diversify its water sources and improve long-term supply resilience. Ongoing mains renewal programs aim to reduce water loss and improve service reliability across the ageing network.
Key Facts
- Population Served
- 600,000
- Treatment Plants
- 5
- Source Water
- Surface water
- Suburbs Covered
- 366
Suburbs Served
Avg. Hardness
Avg. pH
Avg. Fluoride
Utility overview
- State
- New South Wales (NSW)
Supply zones
5 supply zones operated by Hunter Water
Anna Bay/Nelson Bay
Chichester
118 suburbs
Grahamstown
176 suburbs
Gresford
48 suburbs
Lemon Tree Passage
Suburbs served by Hunter Water
366 suburbs with water quality data
Aberdare
NSW
Aberglasslyn
NSW
Abermain
NSW
Abernethy
NSW
Adamstown
NSW
Adamstown Heights
NSW
Allandale
NSW
Allynbrook
NSW
Anambah
NSW
Anna Bay
NSW
Arcadia Vale
NSW
Argenton
NSW
Ashtonfield
NSW
Awaba
NSW
Balcolyn
NSW
Balickera
NSW
Balmoral
NSW
Bandon Grove
NSW
Bar Beach
NSW
Barnsley
NSW
Bellbird
NSW
Bellbird Heights
NSW
Belmont
NSW
Belmont North
NSW
Belmont South
NSW
Bendolba
NSW
Bennetts Green
NSW
Beresfield
NSW
Berry Park
NSW
Bingleburra
NSW
Birmingham Gardens
NSW
Bishops Bridge
NSW
Black Hill
NSW
Blackalls Park
NSW
Blacksmiths
NSW
Boat Harbour
NSW
Bobs Farm
NSW
Bolton Point
NSW
Bolwarra
NSW
Bolwarra Heights
NSW
Bonnells Bay
NSW
Bonnington Park
NSW
Boolaroo
NSW
Booragul
NSW
Brandy Hill
NSW
Branxton
NSW
Brightwaters
NSW
Broadmeadow
NSW
Brookfield
NSW
Brownmore
NSW
Brunkerville
NSW
Buchanan
NSW
Bundabah
NSW
Buttaba
NSW
Buttai
NSW
Butterwick
NSW
Callaghan
NSW
Cambra
NSW
Cameron Park
NSW
Campvale
NSW
Cams Wharf
NSW
Cardiff
NSW
Cardiff Heights
NSW
Cardiff South
NSW
Carey Bay
NSW
Carrabolla
NSW
Carrington
NSW
Catherine Hill Bay
NSW
Caves Beach
NSW
Cedar Creek
NSW
Cells River
NSW
Cessnock
NSW
Cessnock West
NSW
Charlestown
NSW
Chichester
NSW
Chisholm
NSW
Clarence Town
NSW
Cliftleigh
NSW
Coal Point
NSW
Congewai
NSW
Cooks Hill
NSW
Cooranbong
NSW
Corlette
NSW
Corrabare
NSW
Croudace Bay
NSW
Dairy Arm
NSW
Dingadee
NSW
Dora Creek
NSW
Duckenfield
NSW
Dudley
NSW
Dungog
NSW
Duns Creek
NSW
Dusodie
NSW
Eagleton
NSW
East Branxton
NSW
East Gresford
NSW
East Maitland
NSW
East Seaham
NSW
Eccleston
NSW
Edgeworth
NSW
Eleebana
NSW
Elermore Vale
NSW
Ellalong
NSW
Elrington
NSW
Eraring
NSW
Farley
NSW
Fassifern
NSW
Fennell Bay
NSW
Fern Bay
NSW
Fernances Crossing
NSW
Ferodale
NSW
Fingal Bay
NSW
Fishermans Bay
NSW
Fishers Hill
NSW
Fishing Point
NSW
Flat Tops
NSW
Fletcher
NSW
Floraville
NSW
Fosterton
NSW
Four Mile Creek
NSW
Freemans Waterhole
NSW
Fullerton Cove
NSW
Gan Gan
NSW
Garden Suburb
NSW
Gateshead
NSW
Georgetown
NSW
Gillieston Heights
NSW
Glen Inneslambton
NSW
Glen Martin
NSW
Glen Oak
NSW
Glen William
NSW
Glendale
NSW
Gosforth
NSW
Green Hills
NSW
Greenhills
NSW
Gresford
NSW
Greta
NSW
Greta Main
NSW
Halton
NSW
Hamilton
NSW
Hamilton Dc
NSW
Hamilton East
NSW
Hamilton North
NSW
Hamilton South
NSW
Hanleys Creek
NSW
Harpers Hill
NSW
Hawks Nest
NSW
Heatherbrae
NSW
Heddon Greta
NSW
Hexham
NSW
Highfields
NSW
Hilldale
NSW
Hillsborough
NSW
Hinton
NSW
Holmesville
NSW
Horseshoe Bend
NSW
Iona
NSW
Islington
NSW
Jesmond
NSW
Jewells
NSW
Kahibah
NSW
Karuah
NSW
Kearsley
NSW
Keinbah
NSW
Kilaben Bay
NSW
Killingworth
NSW
Kings Hill
NSW
Kitchener
NSW
Kooragang
NSW
Kotara
NSW
Kotara East
NSW
Kotara Fair
NSW
Kotara South
NSW
Kurri Kurri
NSW
Laguna
NSW
Lakelands
NSW
Lambton
NSW
Largs
NSW
Lemon Tree Passage
NSW
Lenaghan
NSW
Lewinsbrook
NSW
Limeburners Creek
NSW
Little Pelican
NSW
Lochinvar
NSW
Lorn
NSW
Lostock
NSW
Louth Park
NSW
Lovedale
NSW
Loxford
NSW
Luskintyre
NSW
Macquarie Hills
NSW
Main Creek
NSW
Maitland
NSW
Maitland North
NSW
Maitland Vale
NSW
Mallabula
NSW
Mandalong
NSW
Marks Point
NSW
Marmong Point
NSW
Marshdale
NSW
Martins Creek
NSW
Martinsville
NSW
Maryland
NSW
Maryville
NSW
Mayfield
NSW
Mayfield East
NSW
Mayfield North
NSW
Mayfield West
NSW
Medowie
NSW
Melville
NSW
Merewether
NSW
Merewether Heights
NSW
Metford
NSW
Metford Dc
NSW
Middle Camp
NSW
Millers Forest
NSW
Millfield
NSW
Milsons Arm
NSW
Mindaribba
NSW
Minmi
NSW
Mirrabooka
NSW
Mootai
NSW
Morisset
NSW
Morisset Park
NSW
Morpeth
NSW
Moruben
NSW
Motto Farm
NSW
Mount Dee
NSW
Mount Hutton
NSW
Mount Rivers
NSW
Mount View
NSW
Mount Vincent
NSW
Mulbring
NSW
Munni
NSW
Murrays Beach
NSW
Murrays Run
NSW
Myuna Bay
NSW
Narone Creek
NSW
Neath
NSW
Nelson Bay
NSW
Nelsons Plains
NSW
New Lambton
NSW
New Lambton Heights
NSW
Newcastle
NSW
Newcastle East
NSW
Newcastle University
NSW
Newcastle West
NSW
Nords Wharf
NSW
North Arm Cove
NSW
North Lambton
NSW
North Rothbury
NSW
Nulkaba
NSW
Oakhampton
NSW
Oakhampton Heights
NSW
Olney
NSW
One Mile
NSW
Osterley
NSW
Oswald
NSW
Oyster Cove
NSW
Paterson
NSW
Paxton
NSW
Paynes Crossing
NSW
Pelaw Main
NSW
Pelican
NSW
Pelton
NSW
Phoenix Park
NSW
Pindimar
NSW
Pinny Beach
NSW
Pitnacree
NSW
Pokolbin
NSW
Quorrobolong
NSW
Rankin Park
NSW
Rathmines
NSW
Raworth
NSW
Raymond Terrace
NSW
Raymond Terrace East
NSW
Redhead
NSW
Richmond Vale
NSW
Rosebrook
NSW
Rothbury
NSW
Rutherford
NSW
Ryhope
NSW
Salamander Bay
NSW
Salisbury
NSW
Salt Ash
NSW
Sandgate
NSW
Sawyers Gully
NSW
Seaham
NSW
Seahampton
NSW
Shoal Bay
NSW
Shortland
NSW
Soldiers Point
NSW
South Maitland
NSW
Speers Point
NSW
Stanford Merthyr
NSW
Stockrington
NSW
Stockton
NSW
Stroud Hill
NSW
Sugarloaf
NSW
Sunshine
NSW
Swan Bay
NSW
Swansea
NSW
Swansea Heads
NSW
Sweetmans Creek
NSW
Tabbil Creek
NSW
Tahlee
NSW
Tanilba Bay
NSW
Tarro
NSW
Taylors Beach
NSW
Tea Gardens
NSW
Telarah
NSW
Tenambit
NSW
Teralba
NSW
The Hill
NSW
The Junction
NSW
Thornton
NSW
Tighes Hill
NSW
Tillegra
NSW
Tilligerry Creek
NSW
Tingira Heights
NSW
Tocal
NSW
Tomago
NSW
Toronto
NSW
Torryburn
NSW
Trevallyn
NSW
Twelve Mile Creek
NSW
Underbank
NSW
Upper Allyn
NSW
Upper Chichester
NSW
Vacy
NSW
Valentine
NSW
Wakefield
NSW
Wallalong
NSW
Wallaringa
NSW
Wallarobba
NSW
Wallaroo
NSW
Wallsend
NSW
Wallsend Dc
NSW
Wallsend South
NSW
Wangi Wangi
NSW
Warabrook
NSW
Waratah
NSW
Waratah West
NSW
Warners Bay
NSW
Watagan
NSW
Webbers Creek
NSW
West Wallsend
NSW
Weston
NSW
Whitebridge
NSW
Wickham
NSW
Williamtown
NSW
Williamtown Raaf
NSW
Windale
NSW
Windella
NSW
Windermere
NSW
Windermere Park
NSW
Wirragulla
NSW
Woerden
NSW
Wollombi
NSW
Woodberry
NSW
Woodrising
NSW
Woodville
NSW
Yallambie
NSW
Yarrawonga Park
NSW
Yengo
NSW
Yengo National Park
NSW
Disclaimer: Information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or professional guidance. Data is sourced from Hunter Water (2026 report). Values shown are based on the most recent published water quality reports and may not reflect real-time conditions at your tap. For specific health concerns, consult a qualified health professional or contact Hunter Water directly. See our Terms of Use.