The facility ranks among the largest wastewater systems nationwide, providing services to nearly two million residents across the city’s southwestern areas, such as Fairfield, Campbelltown, and Liverpool.

The initiative aims not only to prevent the reformation of debris balls but also to accommodate the increasing population in the city’s south-west.

Sydney Water is set to collaborate with the Malabar System Alliance to implement significant enhancements to the Glenfield and Liverpool facilities.

The planned improvements will be carried out in stages, focusing on essential components of the system, particularly the water resource facilities located at Glenfield, Liverpool, and Fairfield.

In the initial phase, Sydney Water will partner with the Malabar System Alliance to introduce major upgrades to the Glenfield and Liverpool facilities.

Jackson said the staged upgrades mean that the projects will be funded over time, so Sydneysiders are not met with a “sudden bill shock”. 

The agency has also increased cleaning and inspections and is expanding an education campaign on fats, oils and grease to reduce the material from entering the wastewater network. 

”We understand the seriousness of recent debris ball incidents and the need to ensure our network is equipped for Sydney’s growing population,” Sydney Water chief executive Darren Cleary said.

“This program of works is a clear demonstration of our commitment to building a more resilient system over the coming decade and to protecting our beaches, which are so important to Sydney’s way of life.”

The mysterious balls first appeared ashore in Coogee, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, in October 2024, before an onslaught of the greasy debris turned up along the coastline.

Beaches had to be closed as crews collected samples for testing and cleaned up the shore. 

Several more incidents of balls washing up on beaches continued until early last year. 

Sample testing and investigations found debris was made up of fats, oils and greases with the sewage treatment network as the likely source.