rewater
farming with recycled water
Shoalhaven Water Recycling
Scheme delivers billions in
economic profits
By Walter Moore, REMS Coordinator
[email protected]
The Northern Shoalhaven Reclaimed Water
Management Scheme (REMS) has delivered estimated
regional economic benefits of $2.4-3.2 billion in its first
two years of operations.
The Northern Shoalhaven REMS started operations in
late 2001, recycling more than 4,000ML of reclaimed
water - 75% of total supply managed by the scheme.
REMS 600ML wet weather storage
with Callala WWTP in background
An extensive environmental monitoring program was
implemented in accordance with consent conditions.
This included an evaluation of outcomes of reclaimed
water irrigation on dairy farms.
The dairy farm study ran for 24 months and measured
productivity, animal health and milk quality outcomes
on three irrigated and three non-irrigated farms on the
Shoalhaven River floodplain
The average farm was estimated to be $80,000 to
$100,000 better off in gross terms over the two years.
Farms also saved around $2,000 from the fertiliser
content in reclaimed water and $5,000 in town water
charges by switching to reclaimed water for washing
down yards and pens. The regional economic benefits
of the REMS in its first two years of operation were
estimated to be between $2.4 and $3.2 million.
continued page 2
A product of the Coordinator Reclaimed Water Development
Horticulture project. Funded by Horticulture Australia Limited.
edition august 2004
contents
from page 1
REMS is one of the more complex water recycling
projects undertaken by a local government authority
with reclaimed water coming from four treatment plants
and distributed through 50 km of transfer and supply
mains. All reclaimed water produced is tertiary treated
using media filtration and chlorination.
Key findings from the study were:
•
•
•
•
•
Soil moisture deficit on irrigated farms
reduced from 40% (dryland) to 10%
Irrigated farms utilised 20% more of their
feed from pasture and carried more
stock/Ha
No significant difference in milk quality
(including bacteria and white cells)
No significant difference in animal health
indices
No significant differences in soil quality
(eg salinity)
The Scheme will be expanded in 2007 with the
inclusion of a further two treatment plants. REMS
has been part funded by the NSW Government and
received two Commonwealth Government grants to
assist in constructing the initial works.
1
3 4
5 6
7
8,9,10
11
features
Shoalhaven Water Recycling Scheme
delivers billions in economic profits
Page 1
Cobram Recycles 1000 ml of water
Page 3
Echuca’s wastewater to be recycled
Page 4
San Diego eyes desalination for long-term
water needs
Page 5
events
Page 6.
research
Public acceptance of reclaimed water:
Where does urban Australia stand and what
is shaping those ideas?
Page 7
Irrigated dairy farm, 2002 drought.
Photo courtesy The Land Newspaper
From the editor
ReWater has been developed in
recognition of the growing interest
in the use of reclaimed water in
agriculture.
We want ReWater to become
your forum to communicate your
thoughts about the beneficial use of
reclaimed water.
If you would like to recieve a copy of
ReWater electronically email us at
[email protected]
press
round up
Pages 8, 9, 10
in brief
Contacts
Page 11
If you have articles, ideas or want
to raise issues in the letters to
the editor, submit them to the
Coordinator for Reclaimed Water
Development, Horticulture
Daryl Stevens
[email protected]
t (08) 8303 67 07
m 0418 802 621
2
features
Cobram recycles
1000 ML of water
By Leif Ericson
Manager Corporate Communications
Earth Tech Engineering Pty Ltd
t (03) 8517 9304
m 0427 354 490
[email protected]
The $7.7 million Cobram Reuse Scheme will recycle
1000 megalitres of wastewater annually and allow the
Murray Goulburn Co-operative to process 10 per cent
more milk, increasing production.
Earth Tech is responsible for design of the pump
and recycled water distribution system, as well as
construction management of a new storage dam and
37 km pipleline.
The recycled water scheme will deliver 1000 ML
of nutrient rich, Class C recycled water to 8 private
irrigators.
The recycled water is free from pathogens, allowing the
standard grazing withholding period to be reduced from
5 days to 4 hours.
To control salinity, the recycled water will be shandied
with channel water at a ratio of 1:10. Farmers can
order the recycled water to be supplied in conjunction
with the delivery of channel water (from the Goulburn
Murray Water system), which will ensure that the
required shandy rate is achieved.
The scheme incorporates the latest telemetry and solar
powered metering equipment so that operators can
monitor the current status of water delivery. It provides
information on water use trends and includes alarms to
alert operators to changes that need attention.
Penny Valentine, Earth Tech project manager, says it is
pleasing to see that businesses are now understanding
the importance of the water cycle.
“Improved management of the environmental inputs
and outputs of the production process delivers both
commercial and environmental benefits that will sustain
businesses well into the future.”
Neil Van Buuren, Corporate Environmental Manager for
Murray Goulburn Co-operative, believes the Cobram
Reuse Scheme is the way forward for sustainable
dairy production.
“We recycle 100% of our wastewater so that production
is a closed cycle with minimum impact on our
environment.”
“This is probably the largest private water recycling
scheme in Australia and is a model not only for the
dairy industry, but for the agricultural industry
in general.”
The Murray Goulburn Co-operative is owned by 3500
dairy farmers situated in Victoria, New South Wales
and South Australia, and processes approximately
one third of Australia’s milk. They are Australia’s
number one exporter of processed foods and in 2003,
were awarded the State’s the prestigious Governor of
Victoria Export Award for Victoria’s Exporter of the Year.
The Cobram plant employs 473 people and is supplied
with milk from 577 farms.
The Victorian Government contributed $1.25 million
towards the Cobram Reuse Scheme through the
Regional Infrastructure Development Fund.
Three contracts have been awarded to construct
the infrastructure:
•
•
•
Pipe Construction - National Australian
Pipelines
Pipe Supply - Iplex Pipelines
Mechanical/Electrical Works - Cobram
Irrigation.
Construction commenced in November 2003 and a
large proportion of pipeline is already installed.
Construction is programmed for completion for the
August irrigation season in 2004.
Conversions
1 Gigalitre
(GL)
= 1 Billion L
1 Megalitre
(ML)
= 1 Million L
1 Kilolitre
(KL)
= 1000 L
1 Litre
(L )
3
features
Echuca’s wastewater to be recycled
Extract from Irrigation Australia, Autumn 2004, Vol 19(2).
www.irrigation.org.au/IrrigationAustJnl.htm
One hundred percent of Echuca’s wastewater will
be reclaimed and reused for irrigation following the
announcement of a state of the art treatment facility for
the area.
The $45 million Campaspe Wastewater Reclamation
Project has been designed to deliver Class B reclaimed
water to farmers between Echuca and Rochester.
Currently, treated wastewater is discharged onto land at
the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), which is
not sustainable.
The public private partnership arrangement between
Coliban Water and Earth Tech Engineering will see
a new WWTP constructed on the site of the current
plant in Terricks Road, Echuca. The plant will have the
capacity to treat wastewater suitable for a population of
250,000 people and cater for large seasonal industry
organic loads.
WWTP construction
Coliban Water chairman Gordon McKern said the new
facilities will feature proven technology along with an
innovative water reuse scheme.
“As part of the planning for the new plant we held
a workshop with stakeholders including industry,
community, EPA and Council. There was a very clear
direction that highly treated wastewater should be
reused on land, rather than discharged to the Murray
River,” he said.
Under an arrangement with irrigators in the area,
the reclaimed water will be used to substitute and
augment irrigation water presently being used on farms
between Echuca and Rochester. The application of
the water to land will be managed under individual farm
environmental improvement plans to ensure a longterm sustainable outcome.
Victorian firm Ward Brothers will help Earth Tech in the
management and operation of the reuse scheme.
The public private partnership under the Victorian
Government’s ‘Partnerships Victoria’ policy will see the
Echuca Rochester Wastewater Plant built, owned and
operated by Earth Tech. After 25 years, the plant will be
transferred back to Coliban Water.
According to Mr McKern, this innovative contracting
approach, used successfully on several other Coliban
projects, has enabled a savings of 20 per cent.
“While a total reuse scheme is a more expensive
solution, using a public private partnership has
provided a tremendous saving. The capacity of the
new plant will provide a platform to secure the ongoing
development of the food industry which is vital to the
economy of this region,” he said.
The new treatment facilities at Echuca are due to be
completed in late 2004. In addition to construction
of the treatment plant, 30 km of pipelines, several
pumping stations and two 580 ML earthen irrigation
storages for managing winter flows are also being built.
The second phase of the project, which involves the
construction of a pipeline to transport wastewater from
Rochester to the new Echuca plant is due to start in
five years time.
Earth Tech project director Peter Everist said his
company’s technology and skills in the water and
irrigation areas were a significant factor in winning the
contract for this project.
“Earth Tech has proven expertise in the construction
and long-term operation of major public sector projects
such as the Campaspe Wastewater Reclamation
Project. We will be able to use our innovation and
leading-edge technology to great advantage for the
benefit of Coliban Water’s customers,” he stated.
Earth Tech is a global consulting, environmental and
infrastructure services company, and has completed
similar projects around the world. In Australia, Earth
Tech is a leader in wastewater treatment plant design
and water recycling.
Earth Tech developed and manages Australia’s first
and largest water recycling project, the Virginia Pipeline
Scheme in South Australia. The scheme recycles
around 25 per cent of Adelaide’s wastewater and
distributes recycled water to 250 horticultural users on
the North Adelaide Plains.
4
features
San Diego eyes
desalination for long- Guidance on use of
term water needs
rainwater tanks
Story from the current issue of WaterWeek. Volume 13, No. 24
June 09,2004 This article has been edited. The full version can
be found at: www.awwa.org/communications/waterweek/index.
cfm?ArticleID=328
The revision of the guidelines for the selection, use and
management of rainwater tanks has been released.
San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) directors
have highlighted seawater desalination as the major
component in meeting the county’s long-term
water needs.
It is a very comprehensive document, covering a multitude
of issues, including suitability for drinking and mosquito
control, as well as a new section on “Preventative
measures and corrective action”.
In late May, SDCWA directors voted unanimously to
accept the report from the general managers of its
23 member agencies that recommends seawater
desalination as the major component of a nearly
$2 billion master plan.
It is founded very much on a risk-based approach,
in line with the current drinking water guidelines, our
Queensland water recycling guidelines, and the national
water recycling guidelines under development.
A rate-impact review panel found the seawater
desalination option would offer “the potential to be more
reliable” than a new pipeline to import more water from
the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) of Southern
California. They also found the estimated impact on
SDCWA rates and charges “is not significantly different
between the two options and remains relatively
unchanged over the long-term.”
The panel recommended building a new regional
50-mgd water treatment plant and expanding storage
capacity for drought protection.
However, if by mid-2006, desalination cannot be
implemented in time to meet projected demand,
directors will rely instead on the MWD option and build
the necessary pipeline by 2015.
The panel rejected a third option, a new pipeline to
import more Colorado River water because it was
“significantly more costly and less reliable”.
“Seawater desalination will play a central role in
diversifying and improving the reliability of our region’s
water supply and will represent the biggest commitment
to seawater desalination anywhere in the United
States,” Board Chairman Bernie Rhinerson said.
Download the guidelines at
http://enhealth.nphp.gov.au/council/pubs/documents/
rainwater_tanks.pdf nwater_tanks.pdf
Reclaimed water
scheme to ease
catchment pressure
This article can be found at:
www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1103339.htm
A multi-million-dollar scheme to use reclaimed water
at one of Adelaide’s newest housing developments
is expected to ease pressure on other water
catchment areas.
The scheme at Mawson Lakes, in Adelaide’s north,
will see reclaimed water used for gardens and
flushing toilets.
The water will be drawn from the Bolivar treatment
works as well as local stormwater catchments and
piped to each property in the area.
A separate lilac coloured water meter will also be
installed to each home and residents charged 75 cents
a kilolitre for the recycled water.
South Australian Environment Minister John Hill says
the cost of implementing the scheme is $16 million
but it will help stop the drain on the Murray River while
cutting down on discharge of wastewater into the
Gulf St Vincent.
He says it is a pioneering scheme that will be watched
by cities around the world.
5
Australian Fertiliser Industry Conference
August 2-5, 2004.
Couran Cove Island Resort – Gold Coast Australia
www.fifa.asn.au
River Symposium 2004
August 31 – September 3, 2004.
Brisbane Australia.
www.riverfestival.com.au
Water Efficiency 2004
October 20-21, 2004. Sydney, NSW.
www.awa.asn.au/events/efficiency04
The aim of this conference is to achieve a common
understanding on the best way forward for a national
approach to regulations for improving water efficiency
and developing some permanent controls of the use of
water in Australia.
International Conference on Irrigation and Drainage
9 Sep 2004, Moscow.
www.fao.org
This year’s International Conference on Irrigation and
Drainage will feature a Special Session on: wastewater
use in irrigated agriculture: the water chain approach.
4th National On-Farm Food Safety and Quality
Assurance Conference
November 22 – 26, 2004, Hobart, Tasmania.
The event this year will focus on Integrated Farm
Assurance. There will be a range of events and
workshops as well as formal conference proceedings,
covering a range of topics:
•
Food safety updates – allergens and prions
•
OH&S – Managing Farm Safety
•
Get down and dirty with Environmental
Assurance (1 day workshop)
•
Bioterrorism / Biosecurity
•
GM jargon explained
•
Recall – how to do it effectively
•
Reclaimed water – practices and
practicalities
•
Industry QA updates (across range of
industries)
•
Auditor Competency update
•
Supply chain management
For further information contact:
Jane Lovell
t (03) 6424 6612
m 0419 554 047
Constitution Dock, Hobart
events
SuperSoil 2004
December 5 – 9, 2004. Sydney NSW.
www.icms.com.au/supersoil
Hosted by the Australian & New Zealand Societies of
Soil Science
Eastern Avenue Complex, University of Sydney,
Sydney, Australia
Integrated Concepts in Water Recycling
February 14-17, 2005
www.uow.edu.au/eng/cme/research/ozaquarec/
conferences.html
Wollongong, NSW, Australia
An international conference - Integrated Concepts in
Water Recycling
AWA Speciality Conference Desalination
February 23-25, 2005. Adelaide, SA.
Contact Diane Wiesner at [email protected]
This conference will be followed by a 5 day
technotour to Singapore, visiting the NEWater Recycled
Water Plant and Educational Centre and regional
desalination plants.
A study tour of horticultural and urban water
recycling
May 2005
www.recycledwater.com.au
ARRIS is organising a study tour of horticultural and
urban water recycling in the USA.
Stage 1. California
Horticultural irrigation with reclaimed water; The largest
reuse scheme in the world.
Stage 2. Florida
Urban Reuse and third pipe schemes
Contact Daryl Stevens (link to contact us) at ARRIS for
more details. Full itinerary out soon!
OzWater Watershed. The turning point for water.
May 5-12, 2005. Brisbane, Qld.
www.awaozwater.net/watershed/
Australian Water Association (AWA) Ozwater 05
Convention & Exhibition. The main Ozwater Watershed
event will focus on the general water environment.
This will be held in Brisbane from Sunday, May 8 to
Thursday, May 12, 2005. A separate specialist Ozwater
Watershed event will focus on the tropical marine
environment including impacts on the Great Barrier
Reef. This will take place in Townsville from Thursday,
May 5 to Saturday, May 7 (prior to the main event).
6
research
Public acceptance of
reclaimed water:
Where does urban
Australia stand and
what is shaping
those ideas?
By Dr June Marks June.Marks@flinders.edu.au
Sociologists at Flinders University of South Australia
are investigating the acceptability of reclaimed water.
The aim is to establish national baseline data for
Australia and to compare the results with research
to be conducted where people are more familiar with
the concept of recycling water. Particular focus will
be placed on the role of trust and the influence of
public communications and community consultation in
shaping people’s views.
Mawson Lakes, Adelaide: reclaimed
water will be used for toilet flushing and
garden irrigation.
A national telephone survey will be held toward the
end of this year. Questions will be guided by the
findings of recent cross-national research completed
in 2003 by Dr June Marks. Causal relationships will
be tested between a range of variables (attitudes,
beliefs, knowledge and behaviours). For example,
environmental values, trust in authorities and
acceptance of a range of uses of recycled water,
including the irrigation of food crops.
Results from this first phase will help form the questions
to be fielded to Australians who reside where reclaimed
water is reticulated for non potable outdoor uses and
toilet flushing. A comparative analysis between the
four sites involved will then be compared with the
national baseline data. Findings will be available for
presentation from mid 2005, with a final report due at
the end of 2006.
This is a three-year project, funded by the Australian
Research Council in partnership with United Water
International Pty Ltd. The research team comprises
the Head of the Department of Sociology, Dr Maria
Zadoroznyj, with expertise in evaluation research,
Assoc. Professor Bill Martin, with extensive experience
in large research projects, Uwe Kaeding, Research
Manager at United Water, and postdoctoral research
fellow, Dr June Marks.
CSIRO water
initiative
www.csiro.au/page.asp?type=mediaRelease&id=PrWFHCnational
One of the largest water research partnerships in
Australian history, the Water for a Healthy Country
National Research Flagship, has been launched in
Canberra by Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson.
The Flagship, which is the initiative of CSIRO, aims
to substantially increase the economic, social and
environmental value Australia receives from its water.
Water Reuse Project
Workshops
www.clw.csiro.au/priorities/urban/awcrrp/workshops.html
CSIRO and the Australian Water Association (AWA)
lead the Australian Water Conservation and Reuse
Research Program (AWCRRP), together with a wide
range of Australian stakeholders and international
collaborators.
Reports on the recent workshops conducted by
AWCRRP/AWA are now available at the website above.
7
press round up
Debate flows over national water plan
This article has been edited from www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200406/s1141081.htm
Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson says June’s
national water deal will be as important for farmers as
land title was in the 1800s.
The Federal Government struck a historic $500 million
deal with the states to return water from irrigation to the
country’s stressed rivers, starting with the
Murray Darling.
The agreement commits to sending an additional 500
gigalitres of water down the Murray River and includes
a $500 million funding agreement and a national
trading system for water.
Mr Anderson said the deal provides certainty and
security for farmers.
“They have what they need now to plan and invest with
security, and to take it forward with their banks,” Mr
Anderson said.
Gary Jones, the head of the Cooperative Research
Centre for Freshwater Ecology, has backed
yesterday’s agreement, saying tackling the country’s
dwindling water resources needs to be a priority
for all governments.
Professor Jones says the agreement is a good
first step.
“[I’m] really pleased to see that the majority of states
and Commonwealth have signed off on this and we can
start moving forward,” he said.
“I guess we’d like to see a bit more money on the table
from the Commonwealth as well but hopefully the
states will keep the negotiations happening.”
Professor Jones was disappointed Western Australia
did not sign, while the rejection has angered Prime
Minister John Howard, who calls it petty and foolish.
However, the Greens have supported Premier Geoff
Gallop’s decision.
WA Greens MLC Dee Margetts said his actions should
spark a wider debate about the effectiveness of
the strategy.
“We all have an obligation to work in the right direction,
to work towards a more sustainable water future,”
she said.
“But we now have to ask the serious questions about
whether the COAG reforms are going to take us in
that direction.”
Despite Dr Gallop’s opposition, South Australia,
Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales are happy
with the water plan.
South Australian Premier Mike Rann believes the
agreement is the best case scenario he was hoping for,
delivering important initiatives to improve conditions for
both Adelaide residents and farmers.
South Australian Farmers Federation president John
Lush agreed it was “good news” for his state.
But Queensland Greens leader Drew Hutton says
landholders are the only ones who will benefit from
the plan.
“The water resources from the Murray Darling basin
have been privatised,” Mr Hutton said.
“We’ve got a privatisation of the water resources, this
public resource is now basically in private hands.
“We’ve got no extra water going in the Murray
system. It’s not a win for the environment this whole
agreement.”
8
press round up
Property rights on
water for farmers
By Steve Lewis and James Riley
www.theaustralian.news.com.au.
This article has been edited from the
Weekend Australia, June 26, 2004.
Farmers and irrigators have won the right to treat
water much like land and other tangible assets, after
the states put aside their tribal differences to sign a
National Water Initiative.
The federal Government and the states also reached
agreement on who will bear the cost when decisions
are taken to claw back water entitlements for
scientific reasons.
From 2014, farmers will pay the costs associated
with the first 3 % reduction in water flows. This could
eventuate, for instance, when scientists decide that
a river is in serious threat of drying up because of
over-irrigation.
The commonwealth and the states would share the
costs of the next 3 % reduction, while Canberra has
agreed to pick up any additional costs associated with
water clawback.
Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson, who has driven
the water reform process, said in a press conference
with John Howard that Australia could now lay claim to
“the world’s best management framework for water”.
“In the same way that our land title system has driven
tremendous wealth creation and export performance in
this country, I believe this will do the same.”
The water plan will be overseen by a new National
Water Commission, which will be funded by the
commonwealth and report back to COAG.
As well as giving farmers property rights over water,
the pact will expand trading in water and deliver greater
certainty for investors and farmers.
Urban measures were also agreed on, with COAG
hoping to reduce the amount of water used - and
wasted - by consumers and businesses.
Popular household appliances such as washing
machines and dishwashers will be required to meet
“minimum water efficiency standards” and state
governments will look to ways to encourage greater
take-up of recycled and storm water.
Farmhand
publications released
Extract from AWA News June 6
The new FARMHAND publications are out: ‘Talking Water’
is a useful appraisal of the many suggestions that have
been made for enhancing water supplies (although the
recommendations made up front don’t seem to align with
the assessments). ‘Truth In Water Entitlements’ distills
the late Dr John Paterson’s ideas about resolving water
allocations and will provide valuable food for thought for
the National Water Initiative. www.farmhand.org.au
Water desalination
project - $6m
Extract from AWA News May 30
The State & Australian Governments have announced an
innovative $6m water desalination project to counter the
effects of salinity in 16 rural towns in the WA Wheatbelt.
The Rural Towns-Liquid Assets project will focus on
controlling town-site salinity by extracting and desalinating
the saline groundwater.
Victorian government
injects $10m into
irrigation
Extract from AWA News May 16
www.ourwater.vic.gov.au/ourwater/waterforfarms.htm
The Water Smart Farms initiative of the Victorian
Government will inject $10m over 4 yr into projects to
achieve improvements in on-farm water management and
reduce adverse impacts of irrigation.
9
press round up
Prices for water need City West Water and
to rise substantially
EPA Victoria target
According to NSW Premier Bob Carr, prices for water
dissolved solids
and electricity will need to rise substantially if cities
are to become sustainable. The Sydney Futures
Forum heard predictions of longer, hotter, more severe
droughts - and more extreme weather fluctuations as
contributors to the difficulties (Sydney Morning Herald,
May 20).
Industry waste water
similar to domestic
waste water
A Study by Denmark’s EPA found that industrial
wastewater is generally no more polluted than that
from domestic households. Analysis of sludge from 160
municipal sewage plants suggested that households
were the largest single source of MERCURY, and
that concentrations of pollutants tended to fall as the
proportion of industrial effluent in sewage increased.
www.mst.dk/default.asp?sub=/udgiv/
publikationer/2003/87-7614-024-5/html (go to the site
map and change the language setting to “English”)
From www.nrm.qld.gov.au/list_archives/water-recycling/index.html
Melbourne’s City West Water and EPA Victoria have teamed
up to help industrial customers keep dissolved solids,
particularly sodium, from trade waste. As part of its cleaner
production strategy, City West Water will help customers
research ways to foster greater take-up of measures to
remove dissolved solids or keep them out of trade waste.
City West Water is also making resources available to
industrial customers for projects that result in the efficient
removal of dissolved solids. Customers of City West Water
include more than half of Melbourne’s top 200 water users.
The program is part of efforts to improve the quality of
effluent so that Melbourne can achieve a 20% increase in
treated effluent reuse by 2010. Details, John Fawcett, (03)
9313 8552.
Sydney water
abandons water
recycling initiative
Sydney Morning Herald, June 19, p11.
Australian scientists
urge desalination
From www.watereuse.org/newsletter/071904.htm
Scientists at Canberra’s Commonwealth and Scientific
and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) said that
the desalination of sea water and low quality ground
water is now a realistic partial solution to Australia’s
long-term water crisis, reported a June 28 Yahoo! News
article. Thought to be emerging from its worst drought
on record, scientists now believe that the drought in
Australia may not have ended at all or is heading into
another drought. As the cost of desalination technology
falls and Australia’s need for water continues to rise,
desalination is now being considered more economical,
with costs declining at an average rate of 4 percent a
year. About a dozen plants have already been built in
remote regions and have proven to be very successful.
The West Australian state government is about to
decide whether to build a US$242 million plant capable
of supplying 15 percent of Perth’s water, which would
work by reverse osmosis and could be operable within
in two years.
Sydney Water has abandoned a proposed water recycling
initiative, by shelving plans for a $100 million pipeline, a
much needed addition to the infrastructure & originally billed
as a key part of its Waterplan 21 to make Sydney’s water
use sustainable by 2010. “Cost savings” is the reason
being given.
Queensland, Australia
to allow grey water use
From ABC Newsonline. www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1124384.htm
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has promised to
introduce legislation next year to allow householders to reuse domestic grey water for irrigating gardens and lawns.
Mr Beattie says the move will allow people to divert water
from showers and washing machines to watering systems
and will reduce the demand for treated water.
“Smaller water bills will be a great incentive for home
owners to make the choice to use grey water for their
gardens,” he said.
10
contacts
in brief
Interesting reads
•
Suwa, M. and Y. Suzuki (2003). “Control of
Cryptosporidium with wastewater treatment to
prevent its proliferation in the water cycle.” Wat.
Sci. Technol. 47(9): 45-49.
•
Richardson, S. D. (2003). “Disinfection byproducts and other emerging contaminants in
drinking water.” Trac-Trends in Anal.
Chem. 22: 666-684.
•
ABC-TV 7.30 The WATER CRISIS across
Australia. www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2004/
s1138926.htm
Health Stream
www.waterquality.crc.org.au
Health Stream is the quarterly newsletter of the Health
and Aesthetics Program Group of the CRC for Water
Quality and Treatment. Health Stream provides
information on topical issues in health research of
particular relevance to the water industry, news and
updates on the recent literature.
The CRC for Water Quality and Treatment also
produces the newsletter Water Quality News featuring
current affairs, highlights from all research programs of
the CRC, and information about other CRC activities.
Both newsletters are available free of charge to the
water industry, public health professionals and others
with an interest in water quality issues. Electronic
versions of the newsletters and a searchable archive
of the Health Stream articles are available on the Web
page of the CRC.
To be included on the Health Stream or Water Quality
News mailing list please contact:
Martha Sinclair
Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine
Monash University – Central & Eastern Clinical School
Alfred Hospital, Melbourne VIC 3004 AUSTRALIA
t (03) 9903 0571
f (03) 9903 0576
Email: [email protected]
Established and supported under the Australian
Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Program
Horticultial industry
development support
Horticulture Australia has a network of Industry Development Officers (IDOs). They cover a range of industries including: Almonds; Apples and Pears; Avocados;
Bananas; Chestnuts; Vitrus; Custard Apples; Dried
Fruits; Flowers; Irrigation; Macadamia; Mango; Melon;
Nashi, Pome and Summer Fruit; Nursery; Pawpaw;
Pistachio; Potatoes; Processing Tomatoes; Prune;
Pyrethrum; Raspberry; Strawberry; Summerfruit; Table
Grapes; and Vegetables.
If you have any enquiries with respect using reclaimed
water with the industries above, please contact Horticulture Australia Limited (details below) to obtain the
contact details of the nearest Industry Development
Officer for a particular crop.
Horticulture Australia Limited
Level 1, 50 Carrington Street
Sydney, 2000
t (02) 8295 2300
f (02) 8295 2399
E-mail: [email protected]
www.horticulture.com.au
The delivery of research and development outcomes
from this project to the horticultural industry is made
possible by the Commonwealth Government’s 50 %
investment in all Horticulture Australia’s research and
development initiatives.
Edited and designed
by Arris Pty Ltd
ACN. 092 739 574
DISCLAIMER: Every attempt is made to ensure the
accuracy of all statements and claims made in
ReWater. However, due to the nature of the
industry, it is impossible for us to know your
precise circumstances. Therefore, we disclaim any
responsibility for any action you take as a result of
reading ReWater.
11