| Recycling across Australia | | | | to obtain drinking water. Methods include distillation, |
| Wastewater has been recycled and used in Australian | | | | freezing, reverse osmosis, electrodialysis or ion |
| towns and cities for decades, but usually for watering | | | | exchange. Each method has advantages and |
| recreational facilities such as parks and golf courses. | | | | disadvantages, and the method chosen depends on |
| However, a recent proposal for one drought-stricken | | | | the scale, location, source of water, cost and available |
| Australian community to recycle sewage and use it to | | | | energy sources. |
| top up drinking supplies has left a lot of people with a | | | | Treating wastewater to make it suitable to add to |
| bad taste in their mouths. | | | | drinking supplies often involves the reverse osmosis |
| In a referendum, residents of the city of Toowoomba | | | | process, along with other purification treatments. |
| in south-east Queensland rejected a scheme to | | | | In Toowoomba, for example, the wastewater would |
| recycle sewage to top up drinking supplies. | | | | have been treated using ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, |
| The issue divided the small community and roused | | | | ultraviolet disinfection and oxidation processes to |
| passions, but it also highlights a major issue facing all | | | | destroy microorganisms. |
| Australians. A drying climate due to global warming and | | | | During reverse osmosis, water is forced under |
| a growing population has created the need to find and | | | | pressure through very fine membranes which allow |
| adopt innovative, sustainable methods to slake our | | | | water molecules to pass through, but not salts and |
| thirst for water. | | | | other matter. The technology is already used around |
| Overcoming the 'yuk factor' | | | | the world to provide water for industrial purposes and |
| Researchers and water authorities in Australia say | | | | drinking water on ships, and there are plans to use it on |
| there's no scientific or health reason that recycled | | | | spaceships. |
| wastewater can't be safely used as part of drinking | | | | Using a process called ‘indirect potable reuse’, |
| water supplies if treated properly. | | | | the recycled wastewater would then top up existing |
| But there can be a formidable psychological reason. It's | | | | drinking water supplies to be stored at the nearby dam |
| called the 'yuk factor' - based on the thinking that the | | | | and then undergo conventional water treatments. It |
| water in the glass in your hand might have started off | | | | would then become part of residents’ daily drinking |
| in someone's toilet bowl. But should we be worried? | | | | supplies. |
| Overseas, it's not unusual for treated wastewater to | | | | But there are two common concerns with such water |
| be part of drinking supplies. The city of London is | | | | purification projects. Firstly, they require considerable |
| located downstream from numerous wastewater | | | | amounts of energy. Secondly, there are environmental |
| recycling plants that discharge into the Thames river. | | | | concerns about what to do with the concentrated |
| Which is why there's a common saying that when you | | | | salty waste water that is made during the process. |
| drink a glass of water in London, the water has | | | | The big picture |
| already passed through several pairs of kidneys.And | | | | Residents of Toowoomba have voted against their |
| recycled wastewater is successfully used to top up | | | | wastewater scheme, but the issue is now being |
| drinking water supplies in Namibia, the United States | | | | looked at on a much wider scale. The publicity involving |
| and Singapore. | | | | the Toowoomba poll has helped put the spotlight on |
| Many informal 'taste and tell' surveys reveal that most | | | | other Australia-wide initiatives to quench our growing |
| people can't tell the difference between tap water, | | | | thirst for water. |
| bottled water and recycled water. So why the fuss? | | | | Australia is the driest inhabited continent and climate |
| Well, that's what some residents of Toowoomba, in | | | | change resulting in below average rainfall and |
| south-east Queensland, and Goulburn, in New South | | | | extensive droughts have prompted the search for |
| Wales, are thinking. | | | | new, innovative and sustainable water supplies, and |
| A tale of two cities | | | | ways to curb demand. |
| Both Toowoomba and Goulburn were planning to | | | | Growing demand from agriculture, industry and a |
| introduce schemes to recycle sewage into drinking | | | | growing population, have exacerbated the problem. |
| water supplies to help their communities overcome | | | | According to national State of Environment reports, |
| chronic water shortages due to drought and long-term, | | | | industry and householders are using increasing |
| below-average rainfalls. | | | | amounts of water. |
| Toowoomba would have been the first city in Australia | | | | As a result, there is a push for new sustainable water |
| to use recycled sewage for drinking water, with its | | | | supplies taking place at all levels of government in |
| proposal for a new $68 million wastewater treatment | | | | every State. And it's easy to see why. Much of the |
| plant to top up potable water supplies at Cooby Dam. | | | | sewage treated at Australian wastewater treatment |
| The Goulburn proposal - which is still being considered - | | | | plants is fed directly into the sea or rivers - in effect, it |
| involves building a new wastewater plant as part of a | | | | goes down the drain. |
| $32 million project to recycle effluent and return it to | | | | But water recycling is now set to play a much greater |
| the Sooley Dam catchment. | | | | part in the water management cycle. Many states are |
| But recycling effluent for drinking is an emotive issue. In | | | | committed to increasing water recycling targets in |
| Toowoomba, a group of concerned citizens collected | | | | years to come. |
| some 10,000 signatures for a petition opposing the | | | | Although there are differing views, researchers and |
| project. That's despite advocates of the proposal | | | | health authorities say it's possible to recycle water to |
| saying their recycled wastewater will be so pure it | | | | the relevant standard for whatever use the water is |
| could be used for hospital purposes such as kidney | | | | required, be it irrigation, horticulture, agriculture, |
| dialysis. | | | | household use - or drinking water. |
| Backers of both proposals also point out recycling is | | | | What's important, they say, is defining what standards |
| part of much wider water saving strategies that are | | | | are required for particular uses, and then implementing |
| feasible, sustainable, and necessary - and that they | | | | relevant risk management, quality assurance, and |
| can help drought-proof their communities for decades | | | | monitoring programs to provide safe drinking water, or |
| to come. | | | | alternative uses that spare potable water. |
| How to make wastewater drinkable | | | | And then there's one other vital issue to consider, |
| There are a number of ways in which to purify water | | | | which you can sum up with the adage: 'You can lead |
| - including sewage water, groundwater or seawater - | | | | a horse to water, but you can't make it drink'. |