Wastewater systems in the ACT

Canberra is served by separate sewerage and stormwater systems.

The difference between these two systems is the type of water each collects.

The stormwater system collects run-off water rainwater, such as from roads, parklands and from roof gutters. This drains into lakes across Canberra.

The sewerage system collects all used water from homes and businesses, using a different set of pipes to the stormwater system. These sewage pipes carry leftover water from toilets, kitchens and laundries into the ACT sewerage system and transports the wastewater, in most cases, to the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre , the main wastewater treatment facility for Canberra and largest inland treatment centre in Australia.

The two main trunk sewers that feed into the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre are the Ginninderra Outfall Sewer Tunnel and the Molonglo Valley Interceptor Sewer.

ACTEW Corporation is responsible for management of and repairs to the ACT sewerage system and wastewater treatment plants. The organisation owns the sewerage system from the customer's sewer tie at their home or business outwards.