Leppington at a glance
A growth area
The NSW Government places Leppington in the South West Growth Area. In the Austral and Leppington North precincts, Sydney Water is building infrastructure for up to 17,350 new homes.
Two councils
The NSW Electoral Commission lists Leppington under both Camden Council and Liverpool City Council. Your rates notice says which one is yours.
Houses for big households
At the 2021 Census, 95.1% of occupied homes in the suburb were separate houses and 73.2% had four or more bedrooms. Households averaged 3.2 people.
Real frosts
At the Bureau of Meteorology's Camden Airport station, records from 1971 average 16.2 days a year at or below 0°C.
Cold mornings and exposed pipes
Frost is regular in Sydney's west and south-west and almost unknown near the harbour. At the Bureau's Camden Airport station, July nights average a minimum of 3.1°C, there are 39.9 days a year at or below 2°C, and the record low is -6.0°C.
Sydney Water's advice for frozen pipes is to let them thaw naturally as the day warms up, and never to pour boiling water on them, which can crack the pipe. Before a cold snap, wrap above-ground pipes and the meter, or cover the meter with a bucket or box. A pipe that splits as it thaws needs a burst pipe plumber, or an emergency plumber if water is running.
Hot water for four bedrooms
An average of 3.2 people per home is well above the NSW figure of 2.6. Check that your system was sized for the people who actually live there, using our hot water size tool. When it's time to replace it, start with hot water in Sydney.
New streets, new connections
Sydney Water says it has already built drinking water and wastewater services to parts of Austral and Leppington North, and new developments connect once the developer has laid the local pipes. Sydney Water asks owners to submit plans through its Tap in service before building over or near its pipes, so check before a granny flat or pool goes in.
Most plumbing and drainage work in NSW needs a Notice of Work lodged before it starts and a Certificate of Compliance when it's done. Replacing an existing hot water system doesn't need the Notice of Work, but Sydney Water still says to ask for a Certificate of Compliance when the job is finished.
Trees in the Camden part
In Camden Council's area, you need a written permit for a tree 3 metres or taller, with a trunk 100mm across at 1 metre, or with a 3 metre branch span. With some exemptions that covers pruning roots too. A plumber's report or sewer diagram can support an application.
What we would do
Before winter, wrap any exposed pipes and cover the water meter, and check you can turn off the main stop tap by hand. If you're replacing a hot water system, ask the plumber to size it for the household and to include the tempering valve NSW requires when a water heater is replaced. And keep the Certificate of Compliance with your house papers. When something does go wrong, we'll match you with a plumber who specialises in that job.