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SW

Australia Water

Sydney Water customer service and complaints

Drinking water, wastewater and stormwater for Greater Sydney

Provisional entry Checked 2 Nov 2026 Sydney Water Corporation
13 20 90 Support site

Sydney Water supplies drinking water and handles wastewater for Greater Sydney. The 24/7 line handles leaks and outages; billing complaints can escalate to the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW.

Step one

Ways to contact Sydney Water

Customer service Primary

13 20 90

24/7

Leaks, outages, billing and service.

Call

Report a leak or outage

Sydney Water online

24/7

Use the online form for non-urgent reports.

Open

Check for an outage before you call: service status page.

Step two

How to complain about Sydney Water

Work through the stages in order. Each one creates the paper trail the next stage needs.

  1. 1

    Stage 1

    Contact Sydney Water and open a complaint

    Straight away

    Report the billing or service problem to Sydney Water. Ask for a complaint or service request number and the department handling it.

    Use the phone or online form on this page.

    For leaks or flooding, ask for the incident reference and emergency repair process.

  2. 2

    Stage 2

    Ask for the written complaint process

    Within a few days

    Request the provider's complaint stages and timelines. Put your complaint in writing with meter readings and photos.

    Email the provider and keep the reply.

    Ask which regulator or ombudsman scheme the provider belongs to.

  3. 3

    Stage 3

    Escalate to the energy and water ombudsman

    After the provider's final response

    If the provider does not resolve the complaint, use the state energy and water ombudsman scheme for your address. The service is free for residential customers.

    Submit your complaint and evidence online.

    Check whether your issue is covered; some water complaints are handled by the provider or a local council instead.

  4. 4

    Stage 4

    Report health or quality concerns

    Immediately for health concerns

    For drinking-water quality, contact the provider and your state health department. For environmental incidents, use the state environmental regulator.

    Use the state health or environment department's reporting line.

    Record the date, time, location and any symptoms or damage.

Step three

Formal complaint letter template

Formal complaint letter template (Australia water). Copy it, fill in the bracketed fields and keep a dated copy.

Template
[Your name]
[Your address]
[Your email]
[Your phone]

[Date]

Sydney Water
Customer Service

Account number: [account number]
Supply address: [supply address]

Dear Customer Service,

I am writing to make a formal complaint about my water and sewer service.

What happened

[Explain the billing, leak, pressure, water-quality or service issue and give dates. Include meter readings and photos.]

What I want

[State the remedy you want: bill adjustment, repair, testing, reimbursement or a written explanation.]

Please respond in writing by [date]. If the issue is not resolved, I intend to contact the energy and water ombudsman for my state.

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]

Send it by a method you can prove — email with read receipt, or tracked post — and keep the reference number.

If it is not fixed

Escalate to the regulator

Use these routes only after the provider has had a fair chance to respond, or if they have breached a published deadline.

EWON Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW New South Wales — energy and water The Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW is the free, independent dispute-resolution scheme for energy and water customers in New South Wales. It covers… Make a complaint Details
EWOV Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria Victoria — energy and water The Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria is the free dispute-resolution scheme for energy and water customers in Victoria. It covers residential and s… Make a complaint Details
EWOQ Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland Queensland — energy and water The Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland is the free dispute-resolution scheme for electricity, gas and water customers in Queensland. It covers res… Make a complaint Details
OWA Ombudsman Western Australia Western Australia — public services and utilities The Ombudsman Western Australia is an independent office that reviews complaints about Western Australian government bodies, including government-own… Make a complaint Details

Questions

Sydney Water FAQ

How do I complain to Sydney Water?

Call 13 20 90 and ask for a formal complaint reference. Keep the incident details and any photos. If it is not resolved, contact the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON), which is free.

Who is responsible for a leaking pipe?

Sydney Water is generally responsible for the main and the connection up to the meter. Plumbing on your side of the meter is usually the property owner's responsibility. Ask Sydney Water to confirm before arranging a private plumber.

Who handles water complaints in Australia?

Start with your water provider. If it is not resolved, contact the energy and water ombudsman for your state where the scheme covers water. Otherwise, escalate through the provider's regulator or your local council.

Who handles drinking-water quality?

Your water provider and the state health department. Ask for the latest water-quality report and follow any advice about boiling water or restrictions.

Who handles water complaints in New South Wales?

The Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON) covers water complaints from residential and small business customers. Other states have their own scheme; check the provider's complaints page for the right body.

Sources

Where this information comes from

Provisional entry

Compiled from official provider and regulator pages, last checked 2 Nov 2026. Contact details change — confirm on the official page before relying on them.

How we verify pages

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