Recycled water

What is recycled water?

In Australia we classify recycled water depending on its quality and range of uses. Class A is the highest quality of recycled water and has the widest range of uses, but it is not accepted as a substitute for potable (drinking) water.

Class B water is of lesser quality and is being used by sporting bodies on Phillip Island such as the Phillip Island Golf Club and football ovals. It is suitable for a number of purposes including watering parks and gardens, golf courses and sports fields (with public access controls), and is being produced at an economical rate at our Cowes Wastewater Treatment Plant. Our King Road Treatment Plant also supplies a local vineyard with recycled water.

Westernport Water is conducting research into the economic production of Class A water from recycled effluent. Research is also underway to identify additional markets for Class A and Class B water and to ultimately reduce discharge to the ocean at Pyramid Rock on Phillip Island.

Phillip Island Golf Club - User of Class B recycled water

Benefits

The use of reclaimed water offers benefits to:

the environment by eliminating direct discharges of nutrients, salt and blue green algae that occur in stored water.
the purchaser of the water, by supplementing nutrients and water to land.
Westernport Water, by providing a beneficial use of the reclaimed water.
The consumer by reducing demand on potable water.

Class A project

The development of new wastewater treatment facilities to produce Class A recycled water is pressing thanks to a recent announcement awarding a $2.85 million federal grant to Westernport Water. The funds are made available through the National Water Security Plan for Cities and Towns on behalf of the Commonwealth's Water for Future Strategy, which will assist in building the new treatment facilities and infrastructure required to deliver the Class A product.

For domestic users, Class A recycled water via dual reticulation can be used for garden irrigation and flushing toilets. Dual reticulation is when a property has two sets of pipes: one for potable (drinking) water and one for recycled water referred to as purple pipe water in Westernport Water district. As it is conveyed in purple piping.

As new housing estates are developed, dual reticulation may be installed allowing residents access to recycled water. If you purchase a block in a dual reticulation housing estate, you will be able to connect to both potable and recycled water when the Class A stream comes online.

Check out our latest recycled water update in the Spring COAST magazine to view the article Click Here

Recycled water

Class	Range of uses	Treatment
A (highest quality)	Urban: (non-potable) with uncontrolled public access Agricultural: including human food crops consumed raw Industrial: open systems with worker exposure potential Also all uses for classes B, C and D	Tertiary treatment and pathogen reduction
B	Agricultural: e.g. dairy cattle grazing Industrial: e.g. washdown water Also all uses for classes C and D	Secondary treatment and pathogen reduction
C	Urban: (non-potable) with controlled public access Agricultural: e.g. human food crops that are cooked/processed, grazing/fodder for livestock Industrial: systems with no potential worker exposure Also all uses for class D	Secondary treatment and pathogen reduction
D (lowest quality)	Agricultural: non-food crops including instant turf, woodlots, flowers	Secondary treatment

Information sourced from EPA

Primary treatment – Large solids, grits and oils are removed from the wastewater entering the treatment plant.

Secondary treatment – This is a biological process whereby a large population of microorganisms help convert organic material into other forms, which can be easily separated into solids and a clear liquid. These solids settle to the bottom of the lagoon.

Tertiary treatment – Filters and/or disinfection of the clear liquid is used to reduce other contaminants as well as pathogens, which are microorganisms that pose a risk to human health.