Editing Sydney (section)

===Utilities===
[[File:Warragamba Dam (January 2014).jpg|thumb|[[Warragamba Dam]] is Sydney's largest water supply dam.]]
Obtaining sufficient fresh water was difficult during early colonial times. A catchment called the [[Tank Stream]] sourced water from what is now the CBD but was little more than an open sewer by the end of the 1700s.<ref name="Water">{{cite web |last=North |first=MacLaren |date=2011 |url=http://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/water |title=Water |publisher=Dictionary of Sydney |access-date=10 August 2014}}</ref> The Botany Swamps Scheme was one of several ventures during the mid-1800s that saw the construction of wells, tunnels, steam pumping stations, and small dams to service Sydney's growing population.<ref name="Water"/>

The [[Upper Nepean Scheme]] came into operation in 1886. It transports water {{cvt|100|km|mi|0|abbr=off}} from the [[Nepean River|Nepean]], [[Cataract River (Wollondilly)|Cataract]], and [[Cordeaux River|Cordeaux]] rivers and continues to service about 15% of Sydney's water needs.<ref name="Water"/> Dams were built on these three rivers between 1907 and 1935.<ref name="Water"/> In 1977 the [[Shoalhaven Scheme]] brought several more dams into service.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Sydney Water |date=2014 |url=http://www.sydneywater.com.au/SW/teachers-students/facts-about-water/secondary-students/history-of-water-in-sydney/sydney-water-timeline/index.htm |title=Sydney Water timeline |access-date=10 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140630004351/http://www.sydneywater.com.au/SW/teachers-students/facts-about-water/secondary-students/history-of-water-in-sydney/sydney-water-timeline/index.htm |archive-date=30 June 2014}}</ref>

The state-owned corporation [[WaterNSW]] now manages eleven major dams: [[Warragamba Dam|Warragamba]], one of the largest domestic water supply dams in the world,<ref>{{cite web |title=Sydney's Largest Water Supply Dam |url=http://www.waternsw.com.au/supply/visit/warragamba-dam |website=Water NSW |access-date=15 February 2016}}</ref> [[Woronora Dam|Woronora]], [[Cataract Dam|Cataract]], [[Cordeaux Dam|Cordeaux]], [[Nepean Dam|Nepean]], [[Avon Dam|Avon]], [[Shoalhaven Scheme|Wingecarribee Reservoir]], [[Shoalhaven Scheme|Fitzroy Falls Reservoir]], [[Shoalhaven Scheme|Tallowa]], the [[Blue Mountains Dams]], and [[Prospect Reservoir]].<ref name="Dams and reservoirs">{{cite web |publisher=Sydney Catchment Authority |date=2014 |url=http://www.sca.nsw.gov.au/water/supply/dams |title=Dams and reservoirs |access-date=10 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140926021711/http://www.sca.nsw.gov.au/water/supply/dams |archive-date=26 September 2014}}</ref> Water is collected from five catchment areas covering {{cvt|16000|km2|mi2|0|abbr=off}} and total storage amounts to {{cvt|2.6|TL|mi3|1|abbr=off}}.<ref name="Dams and reservoirs"/> The [[Sydney Desalination Plant]] came into operation in 2010.<ref name="Water"/> WaterNSW supplies bulk water to [[Sydney Water]], a state-owned corporation that operates water distribution, sewerage and storm water management services.

Sydney's electricity infrastructure is maintained by [[Ausgrid]] and [[Endeavour Energy]].<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Ausgrid |year=2014 |url=http://www.ausgrid.com.au/Common/About-us/Contact-us/About-Ausgrid.aspx |title=About Ausgrid |access-date=12 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019073329/http://www.ausgrid.com.au/Common/About-us/Contact-us/About-Ausgrid.aspx |archive-date=19 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |publisher=Endeavour Energy |year=2014 |url=http://www.endeavourenergy.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/EE/NSW/NSW+Homepage/aboutUsNav |title=About us |access-date=12 October 2014 |archive-date=13 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013005639/http://www.endeavourenergy.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/EE/NSW/NSW+Homepage/aboutUsNav |url-status=dead}}</ref> Their combined networks include over 815,000 poles and {{cvt|83000|km|mi|abbr=off}} of cables. [[Submarine communications cable]] systems in Sydney include the [[Australia–Japan Cable]], [[Telstra Endeavour]] and the [[Southern Cross Cable]], which link Australia and countries in the Pacific.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.southerncrosscables.com/home/company/faq|title=FAQ|website=www.southerncrosscables.com|access-date=30 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://ajcable.com/ajc-network/cable-system-facts/ |title = Cable System Facts| website= Australia-Japan Cable| access-date= 30 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telstra.com.au/aboutus/media/media-releases/telstra-hits-100g-on-key-asia-pac-submarine-cables|title=Telstra hits 100G on key Asia-Pac submarine cables|website=[[Telstra]]|access-date=21 July 2023|archive-date=21 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721131200/https://www.telstra.com.au/aboutus/media/media-releases/telstra-hits-100g-on-key-asia-pac-submarine-cables|url-status=dead}}</ref>