WaterNSW has awarded a $14.5 million contract to engineering consultant GHD and joint venture partner Stantec to create a design for raising the Warragamba Dam.

Raising the dam about 14 metres would reduce the risk of massive damage in the densely populated and flood-prone northeastern region of Sydney by about 75% on average, according to the State Government’s Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley Flood Management Strategy, released last year.

It says the dam wall project is the infrastructure option with the greatest benefit.

 GHD and Stantec expect to have a design concept completed by early next year.