Progress against the national target of 30% of
Australia’s wastewater being recycled by 2015
Report prepared for the Department of Sustainability,
Environment, Water, Population and Communities
(DSEWPaC)
MARSDEN JACOB
ASSOCIATES
Marsden Jacob Associates
Financial & Economic Consultants
ABN 66 663 324 657
ACN 072 233 204
Internet: http://www.marsdenjacob.com.au
E-mail: economists@marsdenjacob.com.au
Melbourne office:
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Victoria 3124 AUSTRALIA
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ACT 2612, AUSTRALIA
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Western Australia, 6000 AUSTRALIA
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Telephone: 0418 765 393
Authors: Kym Whiteoak, Phil Jones, Phil Pickering
+61 3 9882 1600
kwhiteoak@marsdenjacob.com.au
This report has been prepared in accordance with the scope of services described in the contract or agreement between
Marsden Jacob Associates Pty Ltd ACN 072 233 204 (MJA) and the Client. Any findings, conclusions or recommendations only
apply to the aforementioned circumstances and no greater reliance should be assumed or drawn by the Client. Furthermore,
the report has been prepared solely for use by the Client and Marsden Jacob Associates accepts no responsibility for its use by
other parties.
MARSDEN JACOB
ASSOCIATES
The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the
Australian Government or the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. While
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© Commonwealth of Australia 2012
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Executive Summary .............................................................................................................. 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Introduction ................................................................................................................ 10
1.1
Project scope .............................................................................................................................. 11
1.2
Report structure ........................................................................................................................ 12
Water Recycling in Australia ......................................................................................... 13
2.1
Recycled water in Australian water supply planning .................................................................... 13
2.2
The national picture – current and expected water recycling in Australia to 2015 .........................15
2.3
National recycled water themes................................................................................................. 19
2.4
Stormwater recycling ................................................................................................................ 21
New South Wales ........................................................................................................ 23
3.1
Discussion ................................................................................................................................. 23
3.2
NSW water recycling 2009/10 .................................................................................................... 24
3.3
NSW progress against the Commonwealth target to 2015 ......................................................... 26
3.4
Stormwater reuse in NSW ......................................................................................................... 29
Victoria ....................................................................................................................... 30
4.1
Discussion ................................................................................................................................. 30
4.2
Victorian water recycling 2009/10 .............................................................................................. 30
4.3
Victorian progress against the Commonwealth target to 2015 ....................................................35
4.4
Stormwater reuse in Victoria ..................................................................................................... 38
Queensland ................................................................................................................. 39
5.1
Discussion ................................................................................................................................. 39
5.2
QLD water recycling 2009/10 ..................................................................................................... 40
5.3
QLD progress against the Commonwealth target to 2015 .......................................................... 43
5.4
Stormwater reuse in Queensland ............................................................................................... 46
South Australia ........................................................................................................... 47
6.1
Discussion ..................................................................................................................................47
6.2
SA water recycling 2009/10 ........................................................................................................ 48
6.3
SA progress against the Commonwealth target to 2015 ..............................................................51
6.4
Stormwater reuse in SA ..............................................................................................................51
Western Australia ........................................................................................................ 54
7.1
Discussion ................................................................................................................................. 54
7.2
WA water recycling 2009/10 ...................................................................................................... 55
7.3
WA progress against the Commonwealth target to 2015 ............................................................ 56
7.4
Stormwater reuse in WA ............................................................................................................ 58
Tasmania .................................................................................................................... 59
8.1
Discussion ................................................................................................................................. 59
8.2
Tasmanian water recycling 2009/10 ........................................................................................... 60
8.3
Tasmanian progress against the Commonwealth target to 2015 ................................................ 61
8.4
Stormwater reuse in Tasmania .................................................................................................. 61
9
10
11
Northern Territory ....................................................................................................... 62
9.1
Discussion ................................................................................................................................. 62
9.2
NT water recycling 2009/10 ....................................................................................................... 62
9.3
NT progress against the Commonwealth target to 2015 ............................................................. 63
9.4
Stormwater reuse in the Northern Territory ............................................................................... 64
Australian Capital Territory .......................................................................................... 65
10.1
Discussion ................................................................................................................................. 65
10.2
ACT water recycling 2009/10 ..................................................................................................... 66
10.3
ACT progress towards the Commonwealth target to 2015 ..........................................................67
10.4
ACT Stormwater reuse .............................................................................................................. 68
Opportunities to enhance recycled water use in Australia .............................................. 70
11.1
Excess recycled water capacity ...................................................................................................70
11.2
Demand for recycled water – Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) ..........................................................72
11.3
Identification of recycled water projects ..................................................................................... 73
LIST OF TABLES
Page
Table 1: Desalination plants by location and volume ....................................................................................... 14
Table 2: Wastewater and stormwater recycling targets by location ................................................................. 15
Table 3: 2015 projections from current report, compared to 2008 report ......................................................... 19
Table 4: Melbourne recycled water volumes supplied as a percentage of total sewage flows ........................... 33
LIST OF FIGURES
Page
Figure 1: Australian wastewater recycling 2009/10, by capital cities and rest of Australia (ML/year) ................... 1
Figure 2: Australian wastewater recycling 2009/10, by jurisdiction (ML/year) .................................................... 2
Figure 3: Expected Australian wastewater recycling by jurisdiction, 2015 (ML/year) .......................................... 3
Figure 4: 2009/10 recycled wastewater volumes and augmentations to 2015 by capital city and rest of
jurisdiction (ML/year) ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Figure 5: Current and expected wastewater recycling by 2015, by use (ML/year) ............................................... 5
Figure 6: Projected supplies of recycled water compared to capacity, 2015 (ML/year) ....................................... 7
Figure 7: Expected stormwater recycling capacity by 2015, by jurisdiction (ML/year) ......................................... 8
Figure 8: Australian wastewater recycling 2009/10, by capital cities and rest of Australia (ML/year)................. 16
Figure 9: Australian wastewater recycling 2009/10, by jurisdiction (ML/year) .................................................. 16
Figure 10: Expected Australian wastewater recycling by jurisdiction, 2015 (ML/year) .......................................17
Figure 11: 2009/10 recycled wastewater volumes and augmentations to 2015 by capital city and rest of
jurisdiction (ML/year) ..................................................................................................................................... 18
Figure 12: Current and expected wastewater recycling by 2015, by use (ML/year) ........................................... 20
Figure 13: Current and expected wastewater recycling by 2015, by use (ML/year) ............................................ 22
Figure 14: NSW wastewater recycling volumes and proportions, 2009/10 (ML/year)........................................ 24
Figure 15: Sydney wastewater recycling by use, 2009/10 (ML/year) ................................................................. 25
Figure 16: NSW non-metropolitan wastewater recycling by use, 2009/10 (ML/year) ........................................ 26
Figure 17: Wastewater Recycling – Sydney Metropolitan Region ..................................................................... 27
Figure 18: Sydney wastewater recycling growth to 2015 (ML/ year)................................................................. 28
Figure 19: Expected NSW recycling and implicit Commonwealth target (ML/year) .......................................... 29
Figure 20: Victorian wastewater recycling volumes and proportions, 2009/10 (ML/year) ................................. 31
Figure 21: Melbourne wastewater recycling by use, 2009/10 (ML/year) ........................................................... 32
Figure 22: Planned and actual recycled water, Western Water, 2004/05 to 2014/15 ......................................... 34
Figure 23: Wastewater recycled 2009-10 – Regional Victorian Water Authorities (ML/year) ............................. 35
Figure 24: Melbourne wastewater recycling to 2015 (ML/year) ........................................................................ 36
Figure 25: Wastewater recycled to 2015 – non-Melbourne Victorian water authorities (ML/year) .....................37
Figure 26: Expected Victorian recycling and implicit Commonwealth target (ML/year).................................... 38
Figure 27: Queensland wastewater recycling volumes and proportions, 2009/10 (ML/year) ............................. 40
Figure 28: SEQ wastewater recycling by use, 2009/10 (ML/year) ..................................................................... 42
Figure 29: Regional QLD wastewater recycling by use, 2009/10 (ML/year) ...................................................... 43
Figure 30: SEQ wastewater recycling to 2015 (ML/year) .................................................................................. 44
Figure 31: Wastewater recycled to 2015 – rest of Queensland (ML/year).......................................................... 45
Figure 32: Expected Queensland recycling and implicit Commonwealth target (ML/year) ............................... 45
Figure 33: South Australian wastewater recycling volumes and proportions, 2009/10 (ML/year) ...................... 48
Figure 34: Metropolitan Adelaide recycled wastewater percentage, 1996/97 – 2009/10 ................................... 49
Figure 35: Adelaide Wastewater recycling 2009/10, by type (ML/year) ............................................................ 49
Figure 36: Non-metropolitan wastewater recycling, South Australia, 1996/07 – 2009/10 ................................. 50
Figure 37: Recycled water progress to 2015, South Australia (ML/year) ........................................................... 51
Figure 38 – Perth drinking water supply demand gap to 2060 (GL/year) .......................................................... 55
Figure 39: Western Australian wastewater recycling volumes and proportions, 2009/10 (ML/year) .................. 56
Figure 40: recycled water progress to 2015, Western Australia (ML/year) ........................................................ 58
Figure 41: Tasmanian wastewater recycling volume and proportion, 2009/10 (ML/year).................................. 60
Figure 42: Expected Tasmanian wastewater recycling and implicit national target, 2015 (ML/year) ................. 61
Figure 43: Northern Territory wastewater recycling volume and proportion 2009/10 (ML/year) ....................... 63
Figure 44: Expected Northern Territory wastewater recycling and implicit national target, 2015 (ML/year) ..... 64
Figure 45: Total ACT storage levels since 2006 ................................................................................................ 66
Figure 46: ACT wastewater recycling 2009/10 with/without return flows (ML/year) ......................................... 67
Figure 47: Expected ACT wastewater recycling and implicit national target, 2015 (ML/year)............................ 68
Figure 48: National recycled water with project capacity, 2015 (ML/year).........................................................71
MARSDEN JACOB
ASSOCIATES
Executive Summary
1.
The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
(DSEWPaC) commissioned Marsden Jacob Associates (MJA) to undertake an assessment
of progress towards a national target of wastewater recycling of 30 per cent by 2015.
Across Australia, 16.8 per cent of wastewater flows were recycled in 2009/10. On
current estimates, national wastewater recycling by 2015 is expected to range from
18.7 per cent to 20.3 percent.1
2.
While the majority of wastewater recycling in 2009/10 stems from urban reuse (Figure 1),
a greater proportion of wastewater flows are recycled outside of capital cities
(21.7 per cent as opposed to 15.2 per cent in capital cities).
Figure 1: Australian wastewater recycling 2009/10, by capital cities and rest of Australia (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis based on various sources.
3.
1
Figure 2 summarises wastewater recycling by jurisdiction. Volumetrically, the largest
volumes recycled are in the states with the largest populations  Victoria, New South
Wales and Queensland. However, South Australia reuses the highest proportion of
wastewater at 28 per cent, followed by Victoria (24 per cent) and Queensland
(24 per cent). Tasmania and the Northern Territory recycled the least by both volume and
proportion, facing the lowest demand and abundant potable supplies in most of their
major centres.
This range is based on the potential inclusion of Perth’s Groundwater Replenishment recycled water project,
which is planned to produce 25-35 GL per year by 2015 if it goes ahead (we have used the average of 30GL per
year).
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Progress against the national target of 30% of Australia’s wastewater being recycled by 2015
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Figure 2: Australian wastewater recycling 2009/10, by jurisdiction (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis based on various sources.
4.
2
Figure 3 shows expected wastewater recycling to 2015. Nationally, recycled wastewater
is expected to reach 18.7 per cent of wastewater flows in 2015, or 20.3 per cent if Perth’s
Groundwater Replenishment2 project proceeds. Augmentations are expected mostly in
NSW, which is dominated by an 18GL per year environmental flow / potable substitution
project in Sydney, and smaller augmentations in Victoria. These are mostly increased
supply from existing projects, and various small new initiatives.
Shown as ‘IPR’ (indirect potable reuse) in the Figure. IPR projects augment drinking water supplies indirectly;
for example through high level treatment before storage and filtration in natural aquifers, or by storage in rivers
and dams prior to retreatment and delivery through potable supply systems. Perth’s project involves
groundwater aquifer storage.
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Progress against the national target of 30% of Australia’s wastewater being recycled by 2015
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Figure 3: Expected Australian wastewater recycling by jurisdiction, 2015 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis based on various sources.
Note: * The National average increase reflects inclusion of indirect potable reuse (IPR). In addition, if Perth’s
Groundwater Replenishment IPR project is implemented, WA’s recycling proportion would increase to 30 per cent. In
addition, the national average would be boosted with the addition of SA’s stormwater recycling projects totalling
10GLper year, taking their recycling proportion to 30 per cent.
5.
There are expected declines in water recycling proportions in Queensland, predominantly
from a reduction in output from SEQ’s Western Corridor Recycled Water Project
(WCRWP) compared with 2009/10. In addition, recycled water use in South Australia,
Western Australia, the Northern Territory and the ACT is expected to flatten, reducing
the output in percentage terms as wastewater volumes grow with population.
6.
Western Australia’s recycling to 2015 is dependent upon the potential for Australia’s first
operating wastewater recycling project used for indirect potable reuse (IPR). If approved,
the Groundwater Replenishment project will supply between 25 and 35GL per year to
Perth’s potable supplies, using recharge to aquifers. This would increase recycled water
use in WA from 12 per cent to 30 per cent, and the national proportion to 20.3 per cent, as
well as potentially revolutionising recycled water use in Australia.
7.
The contribution of stormwater reuse to total water recycling in 2015 is shown in orange
bars in Figure 3. The main contributions are in South Australia, New South Wales,
Victoria and the ACT. These volumes do not contribute to percentages shown in the
Figure, which represent recycled wastewater use only.
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Progress against the national target of 30% of Australia’s wastewater being recycled by 2015
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Figure 4: 2009/10 recycled wastewater volumes and augmentations to 2015 by capital city and rest of
jurisdiction (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis based on various sources.
8.
Figure 4 shows current recycled water volumes by capital city and the remainder of the
State or Territory, in addition to expected augmentations to 2015. This chart highlights
the volumetric contribution of Sydney to overall augmentations (from a comparatively
low proportional base), and the potential of Perth’s IPR project to contribute to the total.
Further, recycling in the ACT challenges the very definition of recycled wastewater,
returning the vast majority of potable supplies (97 per cent) to the Murrumbidgee for
downstream use, beyond more conventional recycling activities.
NATIONAL RECYCLED WATER TRENDS
9.
There are a number of common recycled water trends emerging nationally. These include
a shift in recycled water use towards uses that substitute for potable consumption, a
movement towards indirect potable consumption (IPR) of recycled water, an excess of
recycled water capacity in several centres, and the more recent growth in stormwater
reuse.
A shift towards potable substitution
10.
The early recycled water projects that produced significant volumes of water were
predominantly agricultural initiatives which used recycled water with low levels of
treatment.
11.
Figure 5 shows current wastewater recycling projects by use (in blue), and expected
augmentations to 2015. While agricultural projects dominate the historical picture, future
augmentations are dominated by municipal, industrial and commercial, as well as
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Progress against the national target of 30% of Australia’s wastewater being recycled by 2015
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environmental projects. These include Sydney’s environmental flows project. Should it
proceed, Perth’s Groundwater Replenishment project will also add a further 25-35GL per
year of indirect potable reuse (IPR) to this picture.
Figure 5: Current and expected wastewater recycling by 2015, by use (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis based on various sources.
12.
Importantly, from an urban water supply perspective, up to half of wastewater recycling
will substitute for potable supplies by 2015 (with the inclusion of Perth’s IPR project),
and thus contribute to urban water supply security. Additionally, the Western Corridor
project is being used as a potential 85GL per year drought response option, which is the
first dedicated use of a recycled water project for urban water security in Australia.
13.
As such, recent and future recycled water projects are contributing to urban water supply
security as never before.
Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) developments
14.
The use of recycled wastewater to augment potable supplies remains largely unsupported
in Australia. In 2008 the Western Corridor project in SEQ was scheduled to be the first
Australian IPR project in use, supplying 85GL per year into SEQ storages once combined
storages fell below 40%. While this did not occur and rainfall has returned to SEQ, it
remains an integral part of the State’s water supply strategy.
15.
Perth’s Groundwater Replenishment project involves treatment of wastewater to drinking
water standards followed by injection into an aquifer and subsequent recovery. If proven
to be cost effective and with demonstrated community support, it will form an ongoing
part of future potable supplies for Perth’s water supply system. By 2015, subject to
approval, the project would produce between 25 and 35GL per year, with long-term
volumes up to 70GL per year.
16.
If successful, the project will revolutionise recycled water use and potable water supply
planning in Australia, and could lead to far greater use of IPR in future.
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Progress against the national target of 30% of Australia’s wastewater being recycled by 2015
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MARSDEN JACOB
17.
ASSOCIATES
An IPR project involving stormwater reuse is in operation in Orange, NSW. The first
IPR project of any kind in Australia, it harvests between 1.3 and 2.1GL per year of
stormwater from high flow events in Blackmans Swamp Creek, which is added to surface
water storages. Further augmentations are planned to this project.
Excess recycled water capacity
18.
There is evidence in a number of jurisdictions of a significant surplus in supply over
demand, or insufficient latent demand to justify further growth, especially where
large-scale projects have been developed. Examples include:

SEQ’s Western Corridor Recycled Water Project has the capacity to produce 85GL
per year of potable quality recycled water from a number of sites across Brisbane
and Ipswich, with a delivery network already in place. While the project is currently
being used as a drought management tool with potential IPR, estimated volumes
recycled to 2015 are in the order of 14-22GL per year. Thus, there is a latent supply
of around 65-70GL per year which could be used for industrial, commercial and
municipal use, of which up to 32GL per year has been offered to agricultural users in
the Lockyer Valley, should a demand arise, that can be met at the marginal cost of
delivery;3

Melbourne’s Eastern Treatment Plant upgrade will result in 100GL per year of Class
A treated wastewater available for use from July 2012. At this stage, no significant
users have been identified, with current exploration of potential agricultural demand
in the Bunyip Food Belt on Melbourne’s south eastern fringe. As with other
agricultural schemes, capacity to pay is a key issue and long-term demand of more
than 15GL per year would appear unlikely;

a number of smaller centres such as Coffs Harbour (NSW) and Mackay (QLD) have
made significant investments in recycled water capacity, with supply now higher
than current demand.4
19.
It is important to note that if key projects operated at maximum capacity, the national
target would be much closer to realisation by 2015. Figure 6 provides an illustration of
national recycled water capacity at 2015, were the Eastern Treatment Plant (100GL per
year), Western Corridor (85GL per year) and Perth’s Groundwater Replenishment IPR
project (35GL per year) to operate at full capacity.
20.
With all projects operating at capacity, and stormwater volumes (20GL per year)
included, total recycled water use would exceed 30 per cent, and fall just below the target
if Perth’s Groundwater Replenishment scheme does not proceed.
3
http://www.qwc.qld.gov.au/planning/pdf/seqws-full.pdf p.3.
4
These regional projects are driven by a range of factors, including the environmental health of receiving waters.
However, where supply significantly exceeds demand, it would suggest that further augmentations would be
ineffective in recycled water use in the short term.
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Progress against the national target of 30% of Australia’s wastewater being recycled by 2015
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Figure 6: Projected supplies of recycled water compared to capacity, 2015 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis.
Notes: Blue bar is expected recycled water use to 2015, white bar is excess capacity of key projects: Eastern
Treatment Plant, Western Corridor Recycled Water Project, Perth’s Groundwater Replenishment project. Diamond
demonstrates the national 30 per cent target. Orange bar is national stormwater capacity at 2015, for illustrative
purposes.
21.
Data collated for this report indicates that the projects shown in Figure 6 are likely to
operate at a fraction of full capacity by 2015. It is unlikely that new projects would be
undertaken in major urban centres while this significant excess of supply over demand
remains.
Stormwater recycling
22.
23.
Stormwater harvesting is a relative newcomer to recycled water in Australia, with a
significant number of projects appearing over the past decade. Compared with
wastewater recycling, stormwater recycling can suffer from a number of barriers and
challenges:

unlike the steady availability of wastewater, stormwater is rainfall dependent and
highly variable over time;

as most stormwater recycling projects are undertaken in urban settings, a shortage of
available land for low cost treatment through wetlands and storage facilities inhibits
projects being developed. Adelaide’s use of aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) has
avoided the use of surface water storages, improving cost effectiveness; and

regulatory regimes for accessing stormwater and for stormwater reuse have tended to
lag behind those for wastewater recycling.
However, in contrast to wastewater recycling, stormwater reuse projects almost
invariably contribute to potable substitution, supplementing for urban irrigation and
industrial use, and contributing to water supply security. They also avoid the
‘yuck factor’ that plagues public perception of consumption of recycled wastewater.
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Progress against the national target of 30% of Australia’s wastewater being recycled by 2015
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24.
Estimation of stormwater recycling volumes is inherently imprecise. Not only does
demand vary with climatic conditions (like most wastewater recycling use), but supply
also depends upon rainfall. Very few projects have been in operation long enough to
develop a reliable predictive method, and most projects report on capacity (i.e., how
much the project can deliver in a given year).
25.
As such, in lieu of estimated likely yield of projects in 2015, we use project yield at
capacity as reported by project proponents in this report, based on projects in operation
and those expected to be operating by 2015. This may overestimate actual volumes,
given that supply and demand may vary annually.
26.
Additionally, while yields may not reach the stated capacity in 2015, there are many
small projects driven by local councils that are unreported at state and national levels.
Only South Australia and NSW have made any concerted effort to compile a list of
projects in their jurisdictions.
National stormwater recycling
27.
Based on projects funded by the Commonwealth, and other projects reported by
jurisdictions, capacity for 20.8GL per year of stormwater recycling will exist by 2015
(Figure 7). Over half of this will be found in South Australia (10GL per year), with
significant contributions from New South Wales (5.4GL per year), Victoria (3.2GL per
year) and the ACT (1.5GL per year). A small number of mostly Commonwealth funded
projects are being implemented in other jurisdictions.
Figure 7: Expected stormwater recycling capacity by 2015, by jurisdiction (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis based on various sources.
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Progress against the national target of 30% of Australia’s wastewater being recycled by 2015
8
MARSDEN JACOB
28.
ASSOCIATES
In terms of contribution to water supply security, South Australia and the ACT are the
two jurisdictions that currently plan for stormwater to play a significant role in the long
term:

the South Australian Government plans to increase stormwater reuse to 70GL per year
by 2050; and

the ACT Government has medium term plans to reuse 3GL per year of stormwater –
equivalent to the entire public open space irrigation volume.
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Progress against the national target of 30% of Australia’s wastewater being recycled by 2015
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1
ASSOCIATES
Introduction
Ten years of below average rainfall across most of Australia until 2010, combined with rapid
population growth in major urban centres, highlighted the need for planners to prepare a
diversified water supply portfolio, including rainfall-independent water supply options such as
recycled wastewater and desalination.
Reliance solely on dams, which are heavily dependent on ‘average’ rainfall and potentially
inadequate for faster growing centres, is being replaced with augmentations from diverse
sources, many of which provide reliability during times of drought, and other natural crises.5
Government commitments at all levels towards water supply source diversification, as well as
the persistence of economic and regulatory barriers seen as inhibiting the unassisted growth of
water recycling activities, have seen most jurisdictions commit to wastewater recycling targets
over various time horizons. In 2007, the Australian Government itself committed to a national
target of recycling 30 per cent of wastewater by 2015, and provided support to achieve that
target.
MJA undertook a progress report in June 2008 which took a ‘snapshot’ of water recycling rates
across Australian jurisdictions, estimating that by 2015 around 23.8 per cent of wastewater
effluent would be recycled (24.6 per cent including stormwater recycling) based on available
data and planned investments.
However, much has changed at the policy and climatic levels since 2008.

The ten year record drought, which exposed the dam-dependency of most urban water
planning strategies, broke from 2010, replenishing water supply sources across eastern
Australia. Higher rainfall through 2010 and 2011 has reduced the demand for water from
alternative sources and increased wastewater flows due to infiltration into the sewerage
system. As a result, progress towards the 30 per cent national target by 2015 has effectively
slowed.

Further, significant replenishment of major urban centre dam supplies may defer immediate
decisions on augmentation options, such as South East Queensland’s (SEQ) Western
Corridor Recycled Water Project (WCRWP), which was scheduled to commence indirect
potable reuse at the end of 2008. As significant inflows to SEQ’s water supply at
Wivenhoe Dam returned, the need to supplement water storages with recycled water has
been deferred.
5
For example, the Gold Coast desalination plant provided welcome water supply reliability during South East
Queensland’s recent flood crisis.
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Progress against the national target of 30% of Australia’s wastewater being recycled by 2015
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
Significant investment in stormwater reuse, partly through Commonwealth funding, has
occurred across jurisdictions at varying scales. Although often undertaken at small scales,
these investments are likely to continue towards 2015 with the announcement in 2010 by
the Australian Government for an additional grant round of $100 million. This third round
of grants was launched in June 2011 with projects expected to commence in 2012.
Large-scale investments in South Australia continue, with the Waterproofing the West
initiative commencing in 2011.

Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) for indirect potable consumption and other uses
continue to be developed, especially in Western Australia (as well as for stormwater in
South Australia).

Frameworks have been developed and implemented in New South Wales for third party
access of wastewater for recycled water projects, with the Rosehill-Camellia project due
online in 2011.

An increasing number of funding bodies have both begun and expanded operations across
Australia. These operations have funded both on-the-ground projects and research and
examined a broadening scope of options for recycling. This has in turn provided impetus
for new development and further research.

The policy landscape between environmental protection and water supply continues to
change, with Environmental Protection Agencies increasingly supportive of wastewater
recycling projects in contrast to riverine disposal options.6

Meanwhile, the early starters in recycled water projects are now maturing (such as Rouse
Hill, Pimpama-Coomera and various industrial projects), providing rich data sets and
insights for next-generation projects.
It is in the context of these continuing changes that the current project is prepared.
1.1
Project scope
The current report/study is, in part, an update of the report completed by MJA in 2008,7 which
explored then recycling rates and planned recycled water activities to 2015 across Australian
jurisdictions and as a whole. The scope of this report was extended to convey a
comprehensive picture of current wastewater and stormwater recycling activities, and those to
2015, across jurisdictions. Additionally, key policy issues and changes affecting each
jurisdiction are discussed.
Major water authorities8 from all Australian jurisdictions report against key water supply and
wastewater functions to the National Water Commission National Performance Report, (NWC
NPR) the most recent of which is 2009/10, Urban Water Utilities. This data has provided the
backbone of the statistical analysis for this report, and has been augmented with:
6
Although interestingly, some water authorities have received credit from State Governments for high-level
treatment of recycled water and riverine disposal, for subsequent downstream water supply.
7
http://www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/urban/pubs/national-recycling-snapshot.pdf
8
Those supplying more than 50,000 connected properties.
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
other 2009/10 water authority data where data gaps have been identified;9 and

publicly available information on specific projects currently delivering recycled water;
Forecasting analysis to 2015 has built on this data with the following sources:

data supplied by water authorities of their own forecast wastewater recycling activities to
2015; and

published information on project development to 2015.
All analysis has been verified through discussions with policy officers in jurisdictional
departments, and semi-structured interviews with key agents in relevant water authorities.
The main gap in data is from small towns where current and forecast project information is not
publicly available. A full collection of data of this kind is beyond the scope of this consultancy.
Unlike the current report, MJA’s 2008 report projected recycling activities according to
jurisdictional targets to 2015 and beyond, if actual project data was lacking. For the 2008 report,
the use of targets provided a reasonable basis for forecasting the volume of recycled water to be
supplied 2015 in the absence of specific project data.
However, from the vantage point of 2011, a 2015 target must be associated with specific
projects in development for it to be likely to be met. As such, jurisdictional targets are not used
to forecast expected recycled water volumes by 2015 in this report.10
1.2 Report structure
The remainder of this report is structured as followed:

Section 2 provides some water policy context for Australian water recycling, before
detailing results at the national level;

Sections 3-10 provide the same context and data analysis for each Australian jurisdiction;
and

Section 11 provides policy insights and suggestions for further work.
9
For example, reporting to the NPR is voluntary in Queensland, however many authorities report to the
Queensland Water Directorate, which has supplied data to the project with permission.
10
The exception is Sydney, which has specific projects associated with a target for 70GL of recycled water
produced by 2015.
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Water Recycling in Australia
2.1 Recycled water in Australian water supply planning
Ten years of below average rainfall across most of Australia from 2000 to 2010 resulted in an
urgent need to secure drinking water supplies across jurisdictions, encouraging significant
investment in recycled water at all levels of government. These conditions changed
dramatically from 2010, when rainfall returned across eastern Australia and water storages
increased sharply.
Flooding in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria associated with a ‘La Niña’ weather
pattern described as “the strongest in Australia in almost 40 years”11 reduced the immediacy of
water supply planning problems for most capital cities. The exceptions are Adelaide, for which
dam storages provide a relatively small water supply buffer, and Perth, which did not benefit
significantly from La Niña-induced rainfall.
Desalination has also changed the urban water picture in Australia in recent years. Three
desalination plants are already in operation around Australia, and three more expect to be in
operation by 2012, implying that a capital-intensive, climate independent potable water supply
source will be available in the five largest capital cities in Australia by 2012 (Table 1). These
investments have placed pressure on residential water bills and focussed attention on the costeffectiveness of new water supply augmentations.
11
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/la-nina-blowing-away-wests-last-hopes/story-e6frg8zx1226057072938
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Table 1: Desalination plants by location and volume
Location
Expected
Annual volume (at
Proportion of water supply
commencement date capacity)
South East Queensland
2009
45GL per year
7% (of around 620GL per year for SEQ)
Sydney
2010
90GL per year
15% (of around 600GL per year)
Melbourne
End 2011
150GL per year
25% (of around 600GL per year)
Perth (Kwinana)
2006
45GL per year
17% (of around 250GL per year)
Perth (Binningup)
End 2011
50GL per year
20% (of around 250GL per year)
Adelaide
2012
100GL per year
50% (of around 200GL per year)
Sources: see below.12
Targets
Most Australian jurisdictions have had aspirational targets for the proportion of wastewater
recycled, either in capital cities or for the entire jurisdiction.
The jurisdictional targets identified are summarised in Table 2. Sydney’s goal of 70GL per year
equates to less than 15 per cent of expected wastewater flows by 2015, and appears to be on
target. Melbourne’s 70GL per year target equates to just over 20 per cent of expected
wastewater flows (due to lower wastewater volumes) and has been achieved. SA’s 2010
strategic document Water For Good set further ambitious wastewater and stormwater targets out
to 2050.
12
http://www.dlgp.qld.gov.au/projects/water/gold-coast-desalination-project.html ,
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/water-issues/sydneys-desal-plant-switched-on-20100128-n13h.html
http://www.partnerships.vic.gov.au/CA25708500035EB6/WebObj/ProjectSummaryforVictorianDesalinationPr
oject/$File/Project%20Summary%20for%20Victorian%20Desalination%20Project.pdf
http://www.watercorporation.com.au/D/desalination.cfm http://www.rpsgroup.com.au/project/binningupdesalination-plant
http://www.sawater.com.au/NR/rdonlyres/0447A380-639E-4DA4-A041-7EF67237668D/0per
yearDPearly2011.pdf
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Table 2: Wastewater and stormwater recycling targets by location
Location
Target
Australia
30 per cent recycled per year by 2015
Sydney
70GL per year by 2015
Melbourne
20 per cent recycled per year by 2010
Perth
30 per cent recycled by 2030
Comment
Wastewater target
Officially achieved , no
new target provided
60 per cent recycled by 2060
South Australia 35 per cent recycled by 2015 (urban)
29 per cent recycled by 2015 (country)
GL targets from Water
For Good, 2010
60GL per year stormwater recycling by 2050 (Adelaide)
75GL per year stormwater recycling by 2050 (State)
75GL per year wastewater recycling by 2050 (urban)
Sources: see below.13
Concurrently, a number of jurisdictions retain a formal ban on the use of recycled wastewater
for indirect potable reuse. Additionally, a lack of policy frameworks can further prevent
indirect potable consumption of stormwater in some jurisdictions, although not all.14
2.2
The national picture – current and expected water
recycling in Australia to 2015
Water authorities from all Australian jurisdictions report against key water supply and
wastewater functions to the National Water Commission’s National Performance Report,
(NWC NPR) the most recent of which is 2009/10, Urban Water Utilities. Most data in this
section is based on this reporting arrangement, augmented with further research and discussions
with key jurisdictional representatives on data gaps and future recycled water activities.
Across Australia, 16.8 per cent of wastewater flows were recycled in 2009/10. While the
majority of wastewater recycling stems from metropolitan reuse (Figure 8), a greater proportion
of wastewater flows are recycled outside of capital cities (21.7 per cent as opposed to 15.2 per
cent in capital cities).
13
Sydney: 2010 Metropolitan Water Plan.
Melbourne: New Water For Victoria, 2002.
Perth: Water Forever, towards climate resilience, 2009.
South Australia: Water For Good, 2010, Waterproofing Adelaide 2005.
14
In Victoria, Yarra Valley Water’s Kalkallo Stormwater Project proposed indirect potable consumption of
stormwater from roofs and paved surfaces, however was refused permission by the Health Department, citing a
lack of frameworks (http://www.theage.com.au/environment/water-issues/officials-block-radical-stormwaterrecycling-plan-20110307-1bl7i.html). In contrast, a stormwater harvesting project in Orange, NSW, supplies
potable storages with recycled stormwater.
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Figure 8: Australian wastewater recycling 2009/10, by capital cities and rest of Australia (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis based on various sources.
Figure 9 summarises wastewater recycling by jurisdiction. Volumetrically, the largest volumes
recycled are in the states with the largest populations - Victoria, New South Wales and
Queensland. However by proportion of wastewater flows, South Australia reuses the most
wastewater at 28 per cent, followed by Victoria (24 per cent) and Queensland (24 per cent).
Tasmania and the Northern Territory recycled the least by both volume and proportion, facing
the lowest demand and abundant potable supplies in their major centres.
Figure 9: Australian wastewater recycling 2009/10, by jurisdiction (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis based on various sources.
Figure 10 shows expected wastewater recycling to 2015, based on expected changes in each
jurisdiction. Recycled wastewater is expected to reach 18.7 per cent of wastewater flows in
2015, or 20.3 per cent if Perth’s Groundwater Replenishment project proceeds. Augmentations
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are expected mostly in NSW, which is dominated by an 18GL per year environmental
flows/potable substitution project in Sydney, and smaller augmentations in Victoria. These
mostly increase supply from existing projects, but also include various small new initiatives.
Figure 10: Expected Australian wastewater recycling by jurisdiction, 2015 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis based on various sources.
Notes: * The National average increase reflects inclusion of IPR (Perth’s Groundwater Replenishment project). If
the project is implemented, WA’s recycling proportion increases to 30 per cent.
In addition, the National average would be boosted with the addition of SA’s stormwater recycling projects totalling
10GL per year.
There are expected declines in water recycling proportions in Queensland, which is expecting a
reduction in output from SEQ’s Western Corridor Recycled Water Project (WCRWP) compared
with 2009/10, and a flattening of output in South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern
Territory and the ACT. This will reduce output in percentage terms as wastewater volumes
grow with population.
Western Australia’s recycling to 2015 is dependent upon the potential for Australia’s first
operating wastewater recycling project used for indirect potable reuse (IPR). If fully realised,
the Groundwater Replenishment project, has the potential to supply between 25 and 35GL per
year to Perth’s potable supplies, using aquifer storage and recover (ASR). This will increase
their recycled water use in WA from 12 per cent to 30 per cent, and the national proportion to
20 per cent, as well as potentially revolutionising recycled water use in Australia.
The contribution of stormwater reuse to total water recycling in 2015 is shown in orange bars in
Figure 10. The main contributions occur in South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and the
ACT. These volumes do not contribute to stated percentages.
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Figure 11: 2009/10 recycled wastewater volumes and augmentations to 2015 by capital city and rest
of jurisdiction (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis based on various sources.
Figure 11 shows current recycled water volumes by capital city and the remainder of each
jurisdiction, in addition to expected augmentations to 2015. This chart highlights the volumetric
contribution of Sydney to overall augmentations (from a comparatively low proportional base),
and the potential of Perth’s IPR project to contribute to the total. Further, recycling in the ACT
challenges the very definition of recycled wastewater, returning the vast majority of potable
supplies (97 per cent) to the Murrumbidgee for downstream use, beyond more conventional
recycling activities.
Significant changes since the 2008 assessment
As noted, recycled wastewater is expected to total 18.7 per cent of wastewater flows in 2015,
and total recycled wastewater forms 20.3 per cent should Perth’s Groundwater Replenishment
project proceed. This compares with a 2008 estimate that 23.8 per cent would be recycled.
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Table 3: 2015 projections from current report, compared to 2008 report
Location
2015 estimate from
2008 report
%
2015 estimate from
current report
%
NSW
16.7
14.7
VIC
28.5
27.2
QLD
31.5
20.1
WA
27.3
SA
28.7
27.1
TAS
9.0
6.6
NT
10.0
5.9
ACT
31.1
12.7
AUS
23.8
18.7-20.3
11.9 – 30
Source: MJA analysis.
Note: Range represents inclusion or not of Perth’s Groundwater Replenishment Project.
Across the country, every jurisdiction appears likely to recycle lower volumes in 2015 than was
anticipated in 2008. The key changes include:

the single largest contributor to the reduction in volume is SEQ’s Western Corridor project,
which was expected to deliver 85GL per year of IPR into the water grid, but will instead
deliver only 14-22GL per year to industrial and municipal uses. Reductions in WCRWP
output to 2015 compared with 2009/10 volumes actually reduce SEQ’s recycled water use
over this time period;

the ACT’s Water Purification Scheme was an IPR project which was being prepared for
demonstration in 2008, for potential production of 9.1GL per annum by 2015. This project
was discontinued by the project proponent ACTEW;

many individual projects planned to 2015 were reported at maximum capacity, but have
delivered significantly below this capacity due to demand shortages. Expected growth to
2015 can be expected to fall short of capacity for many projects;

while not contributing to wastewater recycling percentages stated above, South Australia’s
stormwater projects were estimated to harvest 18GL per year by 2015. Current estimates
suggest that 10GL per year will now occur (although estimations of stormwater yield are
notoriously imprecise). Additionally, agricultural wastewater recycling demand in South
Australia is now considered exhausted and future growth to 2015 is unlikely.
2.3 National recycled water themes
The current study highlights a number of important national themes.
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2.3.1 A shift towards potable substitution
The early recycled water projects producing significant volumes of water were predominantly
agricultural projects using recycled water with low levels of treatment.
Figure 12 shows current wastewater recycling projects by use (in blue), and expected
augmentations to 2015. While agricultural projects dominate the historical picture, future
augmentations are dominated municipal, industrial and commercial, in addition to
environmental projects, including Sydney’s environmental flows project. Should it proceed,
Perth’s Groundwater Replenishment project will also add a further 25-35GL per year of indirect
potable reuse (IPR) to this picture.
Figure 12: Current and expected wastewater recycling by 2015, by use (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis based on various sources.
Importantly, from an urban water supply perspective, by 2015 up to half of wastewater
recycling will substitute for potable supplies (with the inclusion of Perth’s IPR project), and
thus contribute to urban water supply security. Additionally, the Western Corridor project is
being used as a potential 85GL per year drought response option, which is the first dedicated
use of a recycled water project for urban water security in Australia.
As such, recent and future recycled water projects are contributing to urban water supply
security as never before.
2.3.2 Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) developments
The use of recycled wastewater to augment potable supplies remains controversial in Australia.
While direct potable reuse of recycled wastewater is absent from planning in Australia, a
number of indirect potable reuse (IPR) projects have been mooted in different jurisdictions. IPR
involves high level treatment of wastewater, with subsequent storage (and natural filtration) in
groundwater aquifers or receiving waters (rivers, dams).
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The Western Corridor project in SEQ was scheduled to be the first Australian IPR project in
use, supplying 85GL per year into SEQ storages15 once combined storages fell below 40%.
While this replenishment did not occur and rainfall has returned to SEQ, it remains the strategy
for the future.
Perth’s Groundwater Replenishment project involves treatment of wastewater to drinking water
standards (ultra filtration, reverse osmosis and ultra-violet disinfection) followed by injection
into the Leederville aquifer and subsequent recovery. If proven to be cost effective and with
demonstrated community support, it will form an ongoing part of future potable supplies for
Perth’s water supply system. By 2015, subject to approval, the project would produce between
25 and 35GL per year, with long-term volumes up to 70-100GL per year.
If successful, the project will revolutionise recycled water use and potable water supply
planning in Australia, and could lead to far greater use of IPR in future.
An IPR project involving stormwater reuse is in operation in Orange, NSW. The first IPR
project of any kind in Australia, it harvests between 1.3 and 2.1GL per year of stormwater from
high flow events in Blackmans Swamp Creek, which is added to surface water storages. Further
augmentations are planned to this project.
2.4
Stormwater recycling
Stormwater recycling is a relative newcomer to recycled water in Australia, with a significant
number of projects appearing over the past decade. Compared with wastewater recycling,
stormwater recycling can suffer from a number of barriers and challenges:

unlike wastewater recycling, it is rainfall dependent and subject to varying supplies over
time;

as most stormwater recycling projects are undertaken in urban settings, a shortage of
available land for treatment and storage may inhibit project development or increase costs.
However, Adelaide’s use of ASR has avoided the use of surface water storages, improving
cost effectiveness; and

regulatory regimes for stormwater have tended to lag behind wastewater recycling.
However, in contrast to wastewater recycling, stormwater projects almost universally contribute
to potable substitution, supplementing for urban irrigation and industrial use, and contributing to
water supply security. They also avoid the ‘yuck factor’ that plagues public perception of
consumption of recycled wastewater.
Estimation of stormwater recycling volumes is inherently imprecise. Not only does demand
vary with climatic conditions (like most wastewater recycling use), but supply also depends
upon rainfall. Very few projects have been in operation long enough to develop a reliable
predictive method, and most projects report on capacity (i.e., how much the project can deliver
in a given year).
15
Wivenhoe Dam was to receive the treated wastewater prior to potable consumption.
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As such, reported capacity volumes are used for estimation in this project, at 2015 for current
projects and those expected to be in operation prior to that date. This may overestimate used
volumes, given that supply and demand may vary annually. However, this approach is useful
for illustrative purposes.
Additionally, while volumes used by reported projects may not reach the stated capacity in
2015, there are many small projects around the country driven by local councils that are
unreported at state and national levels. Only South Australia and NSW have made any
concerted effort to compile a list of projects in their jurisdictions.
National stormwater recycling
Based on projects funded by the Commonwealth, and other projects reported by jurisdictions,
capacity for 20.8GL per year of stormwater recycling will exist by 2015. Over half of this will
be found in South Australia (10GL per year), with useful contributions from New South Wales
(5.4GL per year), Victoria (3.2GL per year) and the ACT (1.5GL per year). A small number of
mostly Commonwealth funded projects are being implemented in other jurisdictions.
Figure 13: Current and expected wastewater recycling by 2015, by use (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis based on various sources.
In terms of contribution to water supply security, South Australia and the ACT are the two
jurisdictions that currently plan for stormwater to play a significant role in the long term:

the South Australian Government plans to increase stormwater reuse to 70GL per year by
2050; and

the ACT Government has medium term plans to reuse 3GL per year of stormwater –
equivalent to the entire public open space irrigation volume.
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New South Wales

The NSW Government has a commitment to produce 70GL per year of recycled water in
Sydney by 2015 and 100GL per year by 2032, and to increase recycled water use in
regional centres.

Wastewater recycling in 2009/10 totalled 9.8 per cent of wastewater flows in NSW.

By 2015, an estimated 14.7 per cent of wastewater flows will be used for recycling in
NSW.
3.1 Discussion
Responsibility for water management and planning in NSW resides with the NSW Office of
Water in the Department of Primary Industries (DPI). The Metropolitan Water Branch (with
responsibility for the Metropolitan Water Plan covering greater Sydney, and the Lower Hunter
Water Plan – currently in preparation) resides in the Department of Finance and Services. This
may split recycled water policy for metropolitan and regional areas into two separate
departments.
In 2007, Sydney’s water storages were around 35 per cent,16 as the drought affecting most of
eastern Australia reduced inflows to Sydney catchments. In the context of steady population
growth, the severe and lasting drought, the impacts of climate change and an increasing need for
environmental flows for river health, significant capital investments in water infrastructure were
made. This included the Kurnell Desalination Plant, which commenced delivery of a
climate-independent 90GL per year from January 2010 for Sydney.
Rainfall returned from July 2007 and as at 16 June 2011, Sydney’s average storages exceeded
75 per cent.17 NSW urban water management in 2011 is, not unlike Queensland and Victoria, a
less pressing concern than it was a few years ago.
NSW currently has the following recycled water targets, set in 2007:

Sydney: an increase in the volume of water recycled from 15GL/year to 70GL/year by
2015, and 100GL/year in 2032; and

Regional centres: an increase in the volume of recycled water.18
Planned delivery of the 70GL target is outlined in the Metropolitan Water Plan 2010.
Compared with projections of wastewater volumes based on population projections, 70GL
represents around 15 per cent of Sydney wastewater in 2015.
16
http://www.sca.nsw.gov.au/dams-and-water/weekly-storage-and-supply-reports/2007/bulk-water-storage-andsupply-report-11-january-2007
17
http://www.sca.nsw.gov.au/dams-and-water/weekly-storage-and-supply-reports/2012/16-june-2011
18
NSW State Plan, Secure And Sustainable Water Supply For All Users, 2007 Update.
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3.2 NSW water recycling 2009/10
A number of innovative recycled wastewater and stormwater projects have recently commenced
in NSW, including recycled wastewater for environmental flows in the Hawkesbury-Nepean
River, and a national-first stormwater harvesting project for indirect potable reuse (IPR) in
Orange.
Figure 14: NSW wastewater recycling volumes and proportions, 2009/10 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of National Water Commission, National Performance Report (NWC NPR) data.
Based on data reported to the National Performance Report (NPR), Sydney wastewater
recycling totalled 7.3 per cent of wastewater flows in 2009/10, with the rest of NSW recycling
16.2 per cent of wastewater flows (Figure 14). Across NSW, 9.8 per cent of wastewater flows
were recycled.
Metropolitan Water Use
As reported in the NPR, Sydney’s water recycling totalled 39GL per year in 2009/10, dominated
by on-site treatment plant reuse, agriculture and industrial/commercial use. Notable projects
contributing to this recycling include:

NSW's largest industrial recycled water scheme came online in 2006, providing 20ML/day
of recycled sewage water use by BlueScope Steel in Port Kembla, a potable substitution of
7.3GL per year; and

Rouse Hill Recycled Water Scheme supplies about 2.2 GL per year to 19,000 homes for
toilet flushing and outdoor use.
Sydney’s wastewater recycling split by use is summarised in Figure 15. On-site reuse (16.5GL
per year) is typically used for irrigation of forestry plantations. Dedicated recycling for
agriculture is a further 8GL per year. Municipal, commercial and industrial use totals 10GL per
year. Only this last use could be considered as potable substitution water.
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Figure 15: Sydney wastewater recycling by use, 2009/10 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data.
Sydney’s Rouse Hill third pipe residential recycled water project services 19,000 homes, and is
one of the largest third pipe residential projects in Australia. Despite this, Sydney used a total
of only 2.2GL of residential recycled water in 2009/10, reflecting the challenge posed by
residential reuse as a significant part of urban water supply planning.
Urban water use - Newcastle - Hunter Water Corporation
Hunter Water reported recycling of 5.3GL per year in 2009/10, supplied for industrial and
commercial use, irrigation of golf courses and municipal public open space, and agricultural
use. Industrial use includes Eraring Power Station and Edgeworth Coal Washery (1.6GL per
year).19
Hunter Water is progressing a number of third pipe residential recycled water projects, with
long-term plans to service 10,200 homes (1.2GL per year of potable substitution).20
Rural and Regional NSW
Data provided for the NPR records that wastewater recycling in 2009/10 outside of Sydney
totals 16.2 per cent of wastewater flows. Although the single largest contributor is agricultural
use, municipal/industrial/commercial use is also a significant contributor to total regional
recycling (Figure 16). Significant projects were identified in Albury (4GL per year), Orange
(3GL per year), Shoalhaven (2.4GL per year), Dubbo (2.3GL per year), as well as smaller
projects in Tamworth, Wyong, Goulburn and Coffs Harbour.
19
http://www.hunterwater.com.au/Water-and-Sewer/Recycling--Reuse/Industrial-Recycled-Water-Use/
20
http://www.hunterwater.com.au/Water-and-Sewer/Recycling--Reuse/Residential-Use/Residential-Use.aspx
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Figure 16: NSW non-metropolitan wastewater recycling by use, 2009/10 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data.
This data may overlook the actions of many small inland towns which recycle water as a result
of environmental discharge regulations.
3.3
NSW progress against the Commonwealth target to 2015
As noted, wastewater recycling in Sydney for 2009/10 totalled 39GL per year. The State
Government target for the Sydney Metropolitan Region of 70GL per year by 2015 appears
likely to be met, largely through increases in industrial and commercial use, and the
aforementioned environmental flows project which commenced delivery of an estimated 18GL
per year from October 2010.
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Figure 17: Wastewater Recycling – Sydney Metropolitan Region21
Source: 2010 Metropolitan Water Plan, p.27.
In contrast to data reported for 2009/10, which is dominated by agricultural reuse, most of the
growth in recycling from 2010 is expected to substitute for potable supplies, thereby assisting
water supply demand planning. Figure 17 summarises annual growth in Sydney Metropolitan
recycling from 2006/07 to 2014/15. Augmentations coming onstream between 2009/10 and
2014/15 include:

Replacement Flows Project (St Marys), which will see wastewater treated by microfiltration
and reverse osmosis processes and released into the Hawkesbury-Nepean River below
Penrith Weir, substituting for up to 18 GL per year of drinking water currently being
released from Warragamba Dam into the Hawkesbury-Nepean River. The project will
conserve drinking water, whilst maintaining environmental flows from October 2010. This
environmental and potable substitution water recycling project is the only one of its kind in
Australia;

The Rosehill-Camellia Recycled Water Scheme will commence supply of 4.7GL per year to
industry from June 2011. The project uses NSW’s third party access regime and is built,
owned, operated and maintained by private firms. Sydney Water is the initial retailer to
seven customers. The total potential market is estimated at 7.3GL per year, however by
2015 Sydney Water plans to supply 4.7GL per year;

The 2010 Metropolitan Water Plan reports that at the end of the first quarter of 2010 there
were about 150 smaller local-scale projects operating or under construction, including 70
stormwater projects (which are projected to save over 2GL per year by 2015).22 Some
examples include Liverpool Golf Course (43ML per year), sports fields at the Hawkesbury
Campus of University of Western Sydney (189ML per year) and farm irrigation at Elizabeth
Macarthur Agricultural Institute at Menangle (550ML per year);
21
NSW State Plan, Secure And Sustainable Water Supply For All Users, 2007 Update.
22
2010 Metropolitan Water Plan, pp.29, 31.
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Hoxton Park recycled water scheme. Stage 1 is planned to be completed by 2013, with
volumes gradually increasing to 0.8GL per year in 2025 (0.03GL per year by 2015).
Figure 18: Sydney wastewater recycling growth to 2015 (ML/ year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data.
Figure 18 shows augmentations to 2015 by use, demonstrating the focus on potable substitution
in future growth. Environmental and municipal, industrial and commercial use can be expected
to substitute for potable supplies, unlike agricultural and onsite use.
Another innovative recycled water project under consideration by the NSW Government is the
development of a recycled water grid for Sydney, using disused gas mains. The project aims for
large-scale third pipe in the Sydney CBD, allowing for delivery of a third pipe system in areas
otherwise unreachable without substantial costs. The project has a long-term goal of 40GL per
year, which would be entirely potable substitution.
The augmentations described above should see Sydney reach its State Government target of
70GL per year by 2015. This translates to 14.1 per cent of Sydney’s expected wastewater flows
by 2015 (see Figure 19). No major growth is expected outside of Sydney, giving an average
proportion of wastewater flows across NSW of 14.7 per cent by 2015.
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Figure 19: Expected NSW recycling and implicit Commonwealth target (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data.
Note: percentage reflects total wastewater recycling to 2015 – stormwater is not included.
3.4 Stormwater reuse in NSW
The NSW Government has made a concerted effort to record and present23 the development of
stormwater projects, especially in and around Sydney. Currently, data on 111 individual
stormwater projects has been compiled by the State Government, including a number of
self-funded council projects, providing a more comprehensive picture of the state’s stormwater
activities than most other jurisdictions.
As reported, expected NSW stormwater reuse capacity to 2015 totals almost 5.4GL per year,
with over half outside of Sydney (2.8GL per year). This capacity is dominated by two projects
in Orange:

Blackman’s Swamp Creek project – 1.3GL per year; and

Ploughman’s Creek project – 0.88GL per year.
Sydney’s largest stormwater projects are the Commonwealth funded Alexandra Canal and
Green Square projects, with a combined capacity of almost 1GL per year.
23
http://www.waterforlife.nsw.gov.au/recycling/stormwater/stormwatermap
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Victoria

The Victorian Government has no specific commitments relating to water recycling, but
has appointed a Ministerial Advisory Council that has prioritised integrated water
management and generational change in the use of recycled water.

Wastewater recycling in 2009/10 totalled 24.1 per cent of wastewater flows in Victoria.

By 2015, an estimated 27.2 per cent of wastewater flows will be used for recycling in
Victoria.
4.1 Discussion
Water supply planning in Victoria is undertaken for state government by the Department of
Sustainability and Environment (DSE).
A Living Victoria Ministerial Advisory Council (MAC) has been appointed to provide
high-level advice on strategic policy direction in Victoria, in support of the Government’s
Living Melbourne, Living Victoria policy. In relation to recycled water in Melbourne the MAC
has made the following strategic reform priorities in March 2011:

establish Victoria as a world leader in liveable cities and integrated water
management;

drive generational change in how Melbourne uses rainwater, stormwater
and recycled water;

drive integrated projects and developments in Melbourne and regional
cities to use stormwater, rainwater and recycled water to provide
Victoria’s next major augmentation.
These high-level priorities suggest that recycled water may form a significant part of future
water strategies, within the limits of cost effectiveness. The priorities replace the previous
directions for recycled water in Victoria set out in Our Water Our Future24 and associated
documents, which included potable substitution targets for Melbourne.
4.2 Victorian water recycling 2009/10
Across Victoria, 24.1 per cent of sewage effluent was recycled in 2009/10 according to the
NPR, reflecting 22.8 per cent recycling in Melbourne and 27.6 per cent in the rest of Victoria
(Figure 20).
24
Government of Victoria, 2004, Our Water Our Future,
http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/wcmn202.nsf/LinkView/BBE70FB30CBF17D4CA256FFE0008644316E9B18
15F549080CA256FFF000B04E4 at 31 March 2008.
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Figure 20: Victorian wastewater recycling volumes and proportions, 2009/10 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data, and Victorian funding data (DSE).
Melbourne
For practical purposes, the metropolitan Melbourne water businesses (wholesalers Melbourne
Water, and retailers City West Water, South East Water and Yarra Valley Water) define water
recycling as any activity that involves the collection, treatment and supply of sewage to produce
a ‘fit for purpose’ supply that is used for non-potable end uses.25
Most recycled water in Melbourne is supplied from the Western Treatment Plant (WTP) or
Eastern Treatment Plant (ETP), supplying the three metropolitan retailers, as well as Topaq and
Southern Rural Water, in addition to Melbourne Water reuse. The retailers are also increasingly
supplying customers directly from smaller treatment plants managed by themselves.
25
The Victorian Government has placed a ban on indirect potable consumption of recycled water (both for
wastewater and stormwater).
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Figure 21: Melbourne wastewater recycling by use, 2009/10 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data.
Note: ‘Export’ data has been allocated to agricultural use.
The largest use of recycled water in Melbourne is in the agricultural sector (Figure 21), followed
by onsite use (further irrigation). A number of third pipe residential projects exist, but are
dwarfed by other uses. A small amount of tankered water is used for street tree irrigation and
dust suppression. Only a small proportion of current wastewater recycling substitutes for
potable consumption.
Melbourne recycling rates have increased from four per cent in 1998/99 to over 20 per cent in
2009-10 (see Table 4). Interestingly, despite population growth in Melbourne since the 1990s,
total sewage flow in 2009/10 is lower than in 1998/99, and has declined from a peak in 2004/05.
Sewage flows tend to be lower in dry years, due to a lack of infiltration. Additionally, water
conservation measures in residences and commercial operations reduce sewage volumes over
time. Recycled water volumes have been steady since 2006/07, and low sewage flows have
assisted meeting a wastewater recycling proportion of over 20 per cent.
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Table 4: Melbourne recycled water volumes supplied as a percentage of total sewage flows
Year
Total Sewage Flow (ML)
Total Recycled Water (ML)
Recycled Water proportion (%)
1998/99
296,118
12,585
4.2
1999/00
295,701
12,656
4.3
2000/01
340,330
15,485
4.5
2001/02
326,448
17,922
5.5
2002/03
327,571
35,869
10.9
2003/04
313,889
35,752
11.4
2004/05
344,609
38,355
11.1
2005/06
325,585
46,233
14.2
2006/07
291,764
65,647
22.5
2007/08
287,565
66,742
23.2
2008/09
285,181
65,587
23.0
Source: Metropolitan Melbourne’s Water Businesses, 2010, 20% Water Recycling Target by 2010, Final Report for
Melbourne.
Recent heavy rains in 2011 can be expected to reduce demand for recycled water, and increase
wastewater volumes due to infiltration.
Not included in the above data is recycling from Western Water, a water authority on the
western fringes of Melbourne where significant water recycling already occurs, and where much
of Melbourne’s future population growth is expected. Unlike the rest of Melbourne, Western
Water has combined wastewater and potable water functions, and has recycled in the order of 80
per cent of its wastewater in recent years, largely for irrigation purposes (public open space and
agribusiness), and for some commercial and industrial use. In 2009/10, the water authority
recycled over 6GL of a total 8GL of wastewater produced.26 Western Water has plans to
recycle 100 per cent of its wastewater by 2012/13 (see Figure 22).
26
NWC 2011, NPR.
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Figure 22: Planned and actual recycled water, Western Water, 2004/05 to 2014/15
Source: Western Water, Environmental Sustainability Report, 2008/09.
Regional Victoria
In regional Victoria, recycling rates exceeded 27% by 2009/10, based on NPR reporting and
Victorian Government funding data. Several water authorities recycle most of their effluent
(Figure 23), due partly to the historical restrictions placed on them by the Environment
Protection Authority regarding discharge to inland waterways, or through progressive
commercial arrangements. As with much wastewater discharge in inland Australia, Victorian
treated wastewater discharged to inland waterways often has an unrecorded downstream
productive use, or supports environmental flows. This is not recorded in recycled water
statistics.
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Figure 23: Wastewater recycled 2009-10 – Regional Victorian Water Authorities (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data.
At a policy level, the Victorian government (through its Environment Protection Authority) has
moved away from this historical restriction by noting in the State Environment Protection
Policy (Waters of Victoria) that recycled water may be able to be treated to a high standard and
used for environmental flows (as is the case in NSW). However, the EPA has not yet issued
guidance about the permitting, treatment and risk management measures it would require for
this to take place.27
4.3 Victorian progress against the Commonwealth target to
2015
Melbourne to 2015
Growth in recycled water use to 2015 is expected to be steady in Melbourne, with a range of
residential, commercial and industrial recycling projects increasing supply and coming onstream
in the coming years. No large-scale projects are expected within this timeframe, although the
Eastern Treatment Plant upgrade will commence producing 100GL per year of Class A treated
wastewater from 2012. At this stage, no significant users of this water have been identified, and
it appears unlikely that volumes beyond 1-2GL per year will be reused by 2015. The most
likely user is the agricultural sector.
27
Note: as at 28 June 2011 a discussion with the Victorian EPA is pending, and may add value to this point.
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Figure 24: Melbourne wastewater recycling to 2015 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data.
There are a number of residential third pipe and industrial use projects planned to commence or
expand current production across Melbourne, including the Altona Recycled Water Project
which will supply industrial and commercial customers with over 2GL per year from 2011/12.
Stage 2 is expected to supply an additional 4GL per year from 2015/16. Aurora third pipe
residential project is expected to expand by over 1GL per year by 2015.
Box 1: Eastern Treatment Plant upgrade
In May 2010, the Victorian Government announced that construction was underway for a
$380m upgrade to Melbourne’s Eastern Treatment Plant, to improve treated effluent quality
and reduce aesthetic and environmental impacts at the ocean outfall at Boags Rocks. Faced
with community concerns over ocean outfall impacts and tighter EPA requirements for
discharge, Melbourne Water opted for a tertiary treatment upgrade of the ETP over a lesser
upgrade and extended outfall at Boags Rocks. This option provides 100GL of high quality
treated wastewater for potential recycling, should the demand be secured for the water.
At this stage, no significant users for the additional treated wastewater have been secured
beyond substitution of existing recycled water users from the plant. A feasibility study of
agricultural users in the Bunyip Food Bowl is currently underway, which may secure up to 25GL
over the long term.
A formal prediction of expected additional volumes of recycled water sourced from the ETP
between 2009-10 and 2015 has not been made by the Victorian Government or participating
parties. Given this, MJA anticipates that by 2015 an expected volume of additional recycled
water sourced from the ETP would range from 1-2GL per year.
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Regional Victoria to 2015
Major water recycling initiatives in regional Victoria include:

Barwon Water’s Black Rock Recycled Water Plant is undergoing detailed design, and is
scheduled to be in production by 2013. The plant will supply 2.4GL per year of Class A
recycled water to residential users, and 3.6GL per year of Class C water for irrigation and
dust suppression purposes.

Coliban Water’s Bendigo Water Reclamation Plant has commenced operation and is
contributing to Coliban Water’s recycling rates of over 50 per cent of wastewater in
2009/10. Scheme capacity is 4GL of recycled water for rural, industrial and urban uses
including public gardens, sporting facilities, hospital and industrial supply, rural irrigation
and some third pipe developments in future;28

East Gippsland Water reuses 100% of its wastewater on its own properties, as well as
supplying to other parties including golf courses, tree plantations, pasture, alpine woodland
and a racecourse. It is also used to provide environmentally beneficial flows to wetlands,
including a RAMSAR wetland;

as well as using recycled water for irrigation, Wannon Water’s Hamilton treatment plant has
the capacity to produce 150ML per year of reclaimed water for industry, using 15 per cent
of the total sewerage from plant. The recycled water is used by a mineral separation plant.
As with Melbourne, there is a shift in regional Victoria towards greater use of recycled water for
potable substitution, although some agricultural growth is expected to 2015 (Figure 25).
Figure 25: Wastewater recycled to 2015 – non-Melbourne Victorian water authorities (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data, publicly available data and projections by non-Melbourne water authorities.
Identified increases to Victorian wastewater recycling should bring Melbourne’s water recycling
to 26.1 per cent by 2015, and the rest of Victoria to 30.0, for a state average of 27.2 per cent.
28
http://www.environment.gov.au/water/policy-programs/water-smart/projects/vic12.html
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Figure 26: Expected Victorian recycling and implicit Commonwealth target (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis.
Note: Stated percentage reflects wastewater recycling volumes to 2015 only – stormwater data is not included in
this estimate.
4.4 Stormwater reuse in Victoria
Victorian Government records, in addition to a number of projects receiving Commonwealth
grant funding, show that 57 stormwater reuse projects will be in operation in Victoria by 2015,
of which 40 are in metropolitan Melbourne. The total capacity of these Victorian stormwater
projects by 2015 will be 3.2GL per year.
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Queensland

The Queensland Government does not have any formal commitments for recycled
water but it is included in water supply planning. IPR plays a drought response role in
South East Queensland water supply planning.

Wastewater recycling in 2009/10 totalled 23.7 per cent of wastewater flows in
Queensland.

By 2015, an estimated 20.1 per cent of wastewater flows will be used for recycling in
Queensland, down from 2009/10.
5.1 Discussion
The State Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) is responsible for
the development of regional water supply strategies, in partnership with local governments,
water service providers, industries and community groups. The Queensland Water Commission
(QWC) was established in 2006 as an independent statutory authority to manage water supply
planning in South East Queensland.
The Queensland Water Recycling Guidelines were developed in 2005, before the use of
recycled water was regulated in the state. The subsequent Water Supply (Safety and Reliability)
Act 2008 requires recycled water providers to meet mandatory requirements, and a range of
regulatory guidelines have been developed to foster compliance with the Act.29
Queensland does not have a policy ban on the use of recycled wastewater for IPR, although IPR
is not in active use in Queensland at this stage.
Significant drivers of recycled water in Queensland have been:

population growth combined with below average rainfall (until recently), especially in
South East Queensland (SEQ); and

wastewater discharge regulations for ocean outfall across the state. Concerns for the
environmental health of waterways, especially Moreton Bay and the Great Barrier Reef,
have resulted in significant upgrades to wastewater treatment, producing a potentially
valuable recycled water product.
The long period of below average rainfall ended conclusively with significant flooding of
coastal Queensland in 2010 and 2011, including Brisbane’s worst flooding since 1974. As
discussed below, this rainfall, combined with the commencement of operation of the Tugan
Desalination Plant on the Gold Coast, has had significant implications for the planning and
operation of recycled water projects in SEQ, specifically the Western Corridor Recycled Water
Project.
29
http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/water/regulation/recycling/guidelines.html
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5.2 QLD water recycling 2009/10
In 2009/10, wastewater recycling in Queensland totalled an estimated 23.7 per cent of total
wastewater flows (22.8 per cent in SEQ and 26.3 per cent for the rest of the state – see Figure
27).
Figure 27: Queensland wastewater recycling volumes and proportions, 2009/10 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data, augmented with council data.
South East Queensland (SEQ)
Until the recent above average rainfall, SEQ had experienced around ten years of below average
rainfall concurrent with the fastest population growth of any major region in the country. The
largest storage for SEQ, Wivenhoe Dam, reached storage levels as low as 17 per cent before
rainfall returned. As a result, significant capital investments were made to secure SEQ water
supplies going forward. The largest of these were:

the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project (WCRWP), with capacity to supply
84.7GL/year of indirect potable consumption, stored in Wivenhoe Dam. Full operation was
expected by the end of 2008, amounting to approximately 12 per cent of SEQ’s water
supply by 2012;

the Tugan Desalination Plant, which was to supply 45GL per year or approximately 7 per
cent of SEQ demand by 2012.30
The recent rainfall has significantly altered the use of both of these projects, as storages have
been restored and supply security achieved for the short to medium term.
30
Queensland Water Commission (2008), South East Queensland Water Strategy Draft, 2008.
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The Queensland Government opted not to commence IPR use of the WCRWP, and it has since
been used to supply power stations and other industrial users. In the year to March 2011, it
produced 9.2GL of recycled water – a significant volume by national standards, but far short of
the 85GL expected by this time. Longer term expectations (to 2015) are that the WCRWP will
produce between 14 and 22GL per year.31
In December 2010, two of the six recycled water plants were demobilised, and IPR now forms
part of SEQ supply security planning, effectively as a drought response. With the infrastructure
in place, IPR will be triggered once the combined SEQ storage falls below 40 per cent. In the
meantime, 32GL per year of recycled water is available for agricultural use in the Lockyer
Valley, should a demand arise.
The Tugan Desalination Plant commenced operation in 2009, and was integral as a supply
option during the SEQ floods. However, given high combined storage levels, the plant runs
below full capacity. When combined storages fall below 60 per cent, the plant will run at full
capacity. The SEQ Water Strategy 201032 states that:
Based on current technology… desalination facilities will underpin future water
security for SEQ.
The implications of this policy outcome are significant, both from a water supply planning
perspective, and for progress against the 30 per cent national target for wastewater recycling by
2015. A reduction in expected water recycling from the project in the order of 70GL per year
clearly reduces Queensland and national water recycling volumes.
However, from an urban water supply perspective, the reduction in water recycling is a result of
significant increases in storage levels, and therefore supply security going forward. The SEQ
Water Strategy 2010 notes that the next supply augmentation is not expected to occur until the
mid 2020s.
Further, use of the WCRWP as a formal part of water supply planning – a drought response – is
the first use of a wastewater recycling project for urban water supplies in a major Australian
urban centre.
31
Pers. Comm. Dan Spiller, SEQ Grid Manager, 1 June 2011.
32
http://www.qwc.qld.gov.au/planning/pdf/seqws-full.pdf page 2 (accessed 16 June 2011).
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Figure 28: SEQ wastewater recycling by use, 2009/10 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data, augmented with council data.
Note: ‘Export’ data has been allocated to agricultural use.
As noted, wastewater recycling in SEQ is dominated by the Western Corridor, which while
classified in NPR data as ‘Export’ goes to power generation and other industrial and municipal
use (Figure 28). There is some on-site reuse, and very small volumes used in residential third
pipe schemes.
In addition to the WCRWP, smaller scale recycled water projects are in operation or planned for
future use in a number of locations in SEQ, including Pimpama Coomera on the Gold Coast
(residential, commercial and public open space), a small ‘Ecovillage’ in Currumbin, and future
growth planned in the Springfield development in Ipswich.
Industrial recycled water use includes the BP Amoco Refinery at Bulwer Island in Brisbane
(3.65GL per year), and the Caltex refinery at Lytton (1.6GL per year) from the nearby Wynnum
Wastewater Treatment Plant.33
Water recycling outside of SEQ
Areas of the tropical north have not been experiencing the same water shortages as Brisbane,
and recycled water projects have been driven more by wastewater discharge quality than urban
water shortages, especially in areas discharging to waterways proximate to the Great Barrier
Reef. A number of smaller projects are being developed in several cities outside of SEQ,
notably in Mackay, Townsville and future projects in Cairns.
33
http://www.qwc.qld.gov.au/planning/pdf/seqws-full.pdf p.66.
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Figure 29: Regional QLD wastewater recycling by use, 2009/10 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data, augmented with council data.
Largest uses of recycled water in Regional Queensland are in agriculture and municipal,
industrial and commercial uses (Figure 29).
The Mackay Water Recycling Project (MWRP) is designed for a capacity of 8.5GL per year of
Class A recycled water for sugar cane farming, replacing over-allocated groundwater reserves at
risk of seawater intrusion. The project produced over 4GL 2009/10, but discussions with
operators revealed that due to exceptionally high rainfall in 2010/11, very little recycled water
was demanded by irrigators in this year.
5.3 QLD progress against the Commonwealth target to 2015
Reduction in SEQ recycling
In the year to March 2011, recycled water supplied from the Western Corridor totalled 9.2GL.
Equivalent recycling data reported for 2009/10 in the NWC NPR was 33GL per year.
Consultation with the SEQ Grid Manager revealed expected annual demand for recycled water
from the project of between 14 and 22GL per year going forward to 2015 (an average of 18GL
per year).
As such, compared with 2009/10 figures of 33GL per year, to 2015 there will be a reduction in
annual recycling of around 15GL per year from the Western Corridor project. This reduction is
offset by 5GL per year growth in other municipal, industrial and commercial recycled water
projects in SEQ, and a small amount of growth in recycling for residential, onsite and
agricultural uses (Figure 30).
The return of rainfall has restored storages and supply security across SEQ, and when combined
with production from the desalination plant, significant IPR volumes over this time period are
extremely unlikely.
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Figure 30: SEQ wastewater recycling to 2015 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data, augmented with council data.
One potential additional driver for recycled water is the Healthy Waterways agenda, which has
driven upgrades to wastewater treatment plants in SEQ, and may encourage fit for purpose use
of this treated wastewater.
Beyond this, marginal growth in residential third pipe projects can be expected to continue with
lot growth, specifically in Pimpama Coomera and Springfield.
Regional Queensland to 2015
A number of projects are in development in Queensland, to provide consistency with the
Environmental Protection Policy (Water Policy) being implemented by the Queensland
Government, water quality improvement plans being established by regional NRM boards, and
the Australian Government’s Reef Rescue Package. Projects are in operation or under
development in Cairns, Townsville and Bowen.
As such, growth in wastewater recycling outside of SEQ will be found mostly in agricultural
and municipal use (Figure 31).
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Figure 31: Wastewater recycled to 2015 – rest of Queensland (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data, augmented with council data.
In terms of overall Queensland recycling to 2015, the reduction in Western Corridor recycled
water use is offset by other increases in SEQ and the rest of Queensland, but overall recycling to
2015 will decline to 20.1 per cent in 2015 (Figure 32), down from 23.7 per cent in 2009/10.
Stormwater recycling volumes are very small (discussed below) and do not add significantly to
these volumes.
Figure 32: Expected Queensland recycling and implicit Commonwealth target (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data.
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5.4 Stormwater reuse in Queensland
Very few stormwater reuse projects have been identified in Queensland. Three have been
funded by the Commonwealth in Brisbane, with capacity for 210ML per year. One of these,
“Fitzgibbon Potable Roofwater Project” could ultimately produce IPR of roof water subject to
approvals and testing.
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South Australia

The SA Government predicts that current and planned projects will increase wastewater
recycling to around 45 per cent over the long term. The Government predicts that by
2013 the state will produce 20GL per year of recycled stormwater, and the same
volume of recycled wastewater. By 2050 the state plans to recycle 75GL per year of
both stormwater and wastewater.

Wastewater recycling in 2009/10 totalled 28.1 per cent of wastewater flows in SA.

By 2015, an estimated 27.1 per cent of wastewater flows will be used for recycling in
SA, as no growth in recycled water volumes are expected by this time.
6.1 Discussion
South Australia relies less on surface water storage inflows than any other mainland capital city
in Australia. South Australia’s two main water resources are the River Murray and the Mt Lofty
Ranges catchment, which deliver approximately 40 per cent and 60 per cent, respectively, to
Adelaide and surrounds. However, the supply sourced from the River Murray can increase to
up to 90 per cent in drought years.
Population growth as well as climate change and drought have put growing pressure on South
Australia’s water supply in recent years. Decreasing streamflows during the recent drought
emphasise the necessity of a diversification into more rainfall-independent water resources.
South Australia has invested heavily in recycled wastewater and stormwater projects, as well as
investing in desalination. Adelaide’s 100GL per year desalination plant, expected to be online
in 2012, will provide around half of Adelaide’s drinking water supplies from that point.
Together with existing recycled wastewater projects using almost 30 per cent of wastewater
flows, and the largest stormwater recycling projects in Australia, Adelaide will soon have the
most climate-independent water supply of any major Australian capital city.
The South Australian Government released its comprehensive plan for water security to 2050,
Water For Good, in June 2010. This built on and incorporated initiatives developed in
Waterproofing Adelaide, released in 2005. Water For Good predicts that current projects are
expected to increase wastewater recycling proportions to almost 45 per cent, with timing
dependent upon growth in demand.
Water For Good predicts that per year:
By 2013 we will be harvesting more than 20 gigalitres of stormwater for nondrinking purposes and a further 20 gigalitres of non-drinking wastewater.
By 2050 Greater Adelaide will have the capacity to turn 60 gigalitres of
stormwater into fit-for-purpose non-drinking quality water, with a statewide target
of 75 gigalitres. We will also be able to recycle 75 gigalitres of wastewater in
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urban areas. These goals will be reached in partnership with both Commonwealth
and local governments. 34
In addition to these targets, Water For Good notes that the roles and responsibilities for
stormwater harvesting and management need further clarification. While SA Water, South
Australia’s water retailer, manages most recycled wastewater projects, stormwater projects in
Adelaide are often driven by local councils or collaboration between councils. Given planned
growth in both stormwater and wastewater recycling, there may be some competition for aquifer
storage for these projects going forward. This may also require clarification in terms of
governance structures.
Discussion with the Department of Water has revealed that a stormwater strategy is planned for
release in the coming months, followed by a comprehensive Integrated Urban Water blueprint
covering all potential water sources (due by 2013).
6.2 SA water recycling 2009/10
Adelaide’s wastewater recycling totalled 28.7 per cent of wastewater flows in 2009/10, with the
rest of South Australia totalling 13.7 per cent (Figure 33). SA Water reports higher recycled
water percentages for the rest of SA (Figure 36), but not as reported in the NPR data.
Figure 33: South Australian wastewater recycling volumes and proportions, 2009/10 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data.
Metropolitan wastewater recycling
Adelaide is a national leader in wastewater recycling, with around 30 per cent of wastewater
being recycled in recent years (Figure 34).
34
http://www.waterforgood.sa.gov.au/stormwater-wastewater/
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Figure 34: Metropolitan Adelaide recycled wastewater percentage, 1996/97 – 2009/10
Source: SA Government, 2010, Water For Good, June, and NWC, 2011, NPR, 2009/10.
Agricultural use dominates Adelaide’s wastewater recycling, with notable municipal and on-site
reuse and some residential use (Figure 35).
Figure 35: Adelaide Wastewater recycling 2009/10, by type (ML/year)
Source: NWC, NPR 2011.
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The current wastewater recycling proportion of around 30 per cent is dominated by two large
agricultural projects:

Virginia horticulture consumes about 15-18GL pa from Bolivar WWTP and supplies water
for commercial irrigation purposes. This water is treated by SA Water to ‘Class A’
standard; and

the other irrigation scheme, operated by Willunga Basin Water (WBW), takes
approximately 4 GL pa of ‘Class B’ treated wastewater from the Christies Beach WWTP.
This water is used to irrigate vineyards in the Willunga Basin area.35
Growth in demand for recycled wastewater is perhaps the key impediment for further
wastewater recycling in Adelaide. Discussion with SA Water has revealed that current demand
from these schemes is at capacity, reflecting total current summer demand. Any increase in
demand would require unforseen expansion, or winter irrigation requiring storages (potentially
aquifer storage).
Additionally, Adelaide’s Mawson Lakes major third pipe residential recycled water project has
reached capacity. The project supplies 4,500 homes and public space irrigation (500ML per
year) of recycled wastewater and 250ML per year of recycled stormwater). The Southern
Urban Reuse Scheme has recently come online, and is planned to service up to 8,000 homes
with third pipe residential recycled water.
SA Water does not expect growth in recycled water use in Adelaide or rural SA beyond existing
levels to 2015.
Non-metropolitan wastewater recycling
Country water recycling has grown from around 15 per cent in 2004/05 to just under 25 per cent
in 2007/09, according to Water For Good (see Figure 36).
Figure 36: Non-metropolitan wastewater recycling, South Australia, 1996/07 – 2009/10
Source: SA Government, 2010. Water For Good, June 2010, and SA Water Annual Report, 2009/10.
35
Data provided by SA Water.
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Data reported to the NPR showed a significantly lower volume recycled in 2009/10, at 14 per
cent. This may reflect a lack of reporting on SA Water’s ‘Country’ operations.
6.3 SA progress against the Commonwealth target to 2015
As noted, SA Water estimates that current wastewater recycling is at capacity for the short term,
and expects no growth from current levels to 2015, for metropolitan and non-metropolitan
regions. Indeed, as wastewater volumes increase over this time, there may be a slight
proportional decrease to 2015.
However, South Australia’s historically high wastewater recycling rates will see it close to the
30 per cent target on wastewater volumes alone, and well beyond it with the inclusion of
stormwater recycling volumes (which we include in Figure 37 for illustrative purposes).
Figure 37: Recycled water progress to 2015, South Australia (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis.
6.4 Stormwater reuse in SA
South Australia remains a national leader in stormwater reuse, with a growing number of
innovative stormwater reuse projects across Adelaide. The vast majority of projects involve
ASR, benefitting from Adelaide’s extensive aquifer system. Most provide water for council
public open space irrigation or industrial use, with one project involving SA Water supplying to
third pipe residential use.
Stormwater reuse capacity of around 10GL per year is expected by 2015 across South Australia,
based on reported projects.
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Participation in stormwater reuse projects involves a number of State Government Departments,
SA Water and, significantly, a number of local councils. Clarity on stormwater governance
arrangements is a priority of the forthcoming state stormwater strategy.
There are eight major stormwater projects with state government involvement:

Adelaide Botanic Gardens: this is an ASR scheme developed in partnership with the
Department for Environment and Heritage. A wetland, aquifer storage and recovery
scheme with a community education component. It is anticipated that the scheme will
completely offset the gardens’ potable water use. The project cost is $5.8 million and is
expected to yield in the order of 100 ML per year.

Water Proofing the West: in partnership with the City of Charles Sturt and others, the
project includes wetland and ASR schemes at Cheltenham, Riverside Golf Club and a
rejuvenation of Old Port Road. The project includes some flood mitigation works on Old
Port Road. The project cost is $58.6 million and the expected yield is in the order of
2,500ML per annum.

Adelaide Airport Stormwater Scheme: in partnership with SA Water, the project harvests
from Brownhill/Keswick Creek to a treatment system using comparative methods of
biofiltration and media filtration, before injecting into an aquifer storage and recovery
scheme. The initial yield is expected to be around 400ML per year but the scheme has a
potential to be upgraded to supply 1,000ML per annum. The project cost is $9.8 million.

Unity Park Biofiltration Project: in partnership with the City of Salisbury, this is an
expansion of a stormwater harvesting and re-use scheme at Unity Park, Pooraka, and
includes a large-scale trial of a small footprint treatment technology (bio-filtration) and
aquifer storage and recovery. The expected yield is 1,300ML per annum and the project
cost is $14 million.

Water for the Future - City of Playford: in partnership with theCity of Playford, the
project includes wetlands, aquifer storage and recovery and mechanical filtration. The
expected new yield from this project is 640ML per year but the project substantially
expands the Council’s ability to distribute already collected fit for purpose water. The cost
of the project is $19.2 million.

Water Proofing the South Stage 2: in partnership with the City of Onkaparinga, this
project includes wetlands and ASR across five sites in the Council area and distribution to
demand nodes via an integrated pipe network. The expected yield is 2,200ML per year.
The project cost is $30 million.

Barker Inlet Stormwater Reuse Scheme: in partnership with SA Water, the project
involves injecting water harvested through the existing Barker Inlet Wetlands into an
aquifer, then extracting and pumping the water via a pipeline distribution network to
identified precincts of demand in the area. The expected yield is 350ML per year. The
project cost is $8.1 million.

Oaklands Park Stormwater Harvesting Scheme: in partnership with the City of Marion,
the project will provide a wetland and ASR scheme at Oaklands Park which will provide
irrigation water to council reserves and open space throughout the City of Marion. The
expected yield is over 170ML per year initially, at a total cost of around $8.4 million.
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In addition to the above participation in Barker Inlet and Adelaide Airport, SA Water is
involved in a project at Lochiel Park. This project takes stormwater from a Council
stormwater drain, treats it in a wetland, stores the water in a fractured rock aquifer and delivers
it to customers for toilet flushing, garden watering and, in future after significant monitoring,
potentially clothes washing. This is one of the few third pipe residential stormwater recycling
projects in Australia.
Further to these, there are 18 stormwater recycling projects funded through the Commonwealth
Government’s Cities and Towns funding, providing an estimated 1.5GL per year, and six
stand-alone projects producing an estimated 823ML per year.
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Western Australia

The Western Australian Government has a target of 30 per cent recycled water by 2030.

Wastewater recycling in 2009/10 totalled 12 per cent of wastewater flows in WA.

By 2015, an estimated 11.9 per cent of wastewater flows will be used for recycling in
WA, or 30 per cent should the Groundwater Replenishment project go ahead.
7.1 Discussion
Western Australian water supply is unique among Australian jurisdictions in that a large portion
of urban supplies come from groundwater resources. Over 70 per cent of the state’s population
reside in Perth, which consumes around 250GL per year. Perth’s water supply is currently
dominated by groundwater supplies (around 60 per cent), with surface water supplies of around
23 per cent. The Kwinana Desalination Plant commenced operation in November 2007 and is
now supplying around 17 per cent of Perth’s supplies.36 Perth’s second desalination plant is
scheduled to commence production of 20GL per year by the end of 2011. From this point,
desalination will supply over 45 per cent of Perth’s drinking water supplies.
Diversification into rainfall independent water resources is considered essential as water supply
from dams is decreasing. Inflows into dams have reduced to less than a third of the long-term
average over the past years due to drought and climate change. Unlike eastern Australia, Perth
has not benefitted from a return to average rainfall in recent years, and rainfall in 2010 and 2011
remain well below the long-term average.
Figure 38 plots expected drinking water demand for Perth against current supplies, projected out
to 2060. Current planning incorporates a 20 per cent decline in rainfall to 2030 against the 1990
baseline, reducing average yields from rainfall dependent sources (dams and groundwater) of
around 100GL per year while the population continues to grow.
36
http://www.watercorporation.com.au/D/desalination.cfm
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Figure 38 – Perth drinking water supply demand gap to 2060 (GL/year)
Source: Water Corporation, 2009, Water Forever, Towards Climate Resilience, October.
7.2 WA water recycling 2009/10
Water recycling as part of diversification away from rainfall-dependent sources has increased in
recent years to 12 per cent of total wastewater across the state (2009/10), and 6 per cent in Perth.
There were 72 water recycling schemes in place in 2009/10.
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Figure 39: Western Australian wastewater recycling volumes and proportions, 2009/10 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC NPR data, data supplied by Water Corporation.
The State Water Plan was released in 2007 and set a target for wastewater recycling of 20 per
cent by 2012. 37 This appears unlikely to be met, with population growth leading to increasing
wastewater volume annually. The State Water Recycling Strategy was released in 2008,
providing a State Government strategy for meeting a target of 30 per cent of recycled water by
2030.
7.3 WA progress against the Commonwealth target to 2015
With a state recycling rate of 12 per cent compared with Perth recycling rate of 6 per cent, rural
councils recycle more water than major and capital cities (around 50 per cent). Future recycling
schemes to meet the 2030 target of 30 per cent will comprise:

‘groundwater replenishment’ (potentially indirect potable wastewater recycling using
aquifer storage and recovery);

industrial reuse (e.g. Kwinana Water Recycling Plant); and

irrigation (e.g., golf courses, parks and ovals) and horticulture (e.g., tree plantations and
crops).
‘Groundwater replenishment’ (GWR), an aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) project will be the
dominant recycling scheme should it reach full operation and will be crucial to reaching the
30 per cent target.
37
Department of the Premier and Cabinet, State Water Plan 2007.
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Groundwater replenishment: IPR in the Gnangara Mound
The Water Corporation in cooperation with the Department of Water is currently undertaking a
three year trial ASR project in the Gnangara Mound, a series of interconnected groundwater
aquifers beneath Perth which currently supplies the bulk of Perth’s public water, as well as a
significant horticultural industry extending to the north of Perth.
The trial is part of a long-term strategy by the Water Corporation to develop a cost-effective and
community supported ASR project, with potential to become Australia’s first indirect potable
wastewater recycling project. In contrast to SEQ’s use of IPR as an emergency drought
response measure, the groundwater replenishment project would, if proven to be cost effective
and with demonstrated community support, form an ongoing part of future potable supplies for
Perth’s Integrated Water Supply Scheme (IWSS).
Under the program, wastewater from the Beenyup Wastewater Treatment plant is treated to
drinking water standards (ultra filtration, reverse osmosis and ultra-violet disinfection) and then
injected into the Leederville aquifer (depth of 200-300m) at a location remote from existing
drinking water bores where it is further cleansed by natural groundwater processes. Detailed
monitoring of the water produced by the plant and in the groundwater is undertaken in
partnership with regulators, independent parties and researchers.
The aim of the project is to provide the basis for building community confidence, gaining
regulatory approval and demonstrating technical feasibility to deliver groundwater
replenishment using recycled water
Following approval from the Department of Health in November 2010, recharge totalling 1.5GL
per year commenced immediately.
Recycled water volumes produced in the trial will total at least 1.5GL per year for
environmental purposes, by 2015. However, the true potential of the project is, in the advent of
community support and demonstrated cost effectiveness, production could increase to between
25 and 35GL per year by 2015 (10 per cent of annual demand). Long-term groundwater
replenishment could contribute between 70 and 100GL per year, or 25 per cent of annual
supply.
Other recycled water projects
The Kwinana Water Recycling Plant (KWRP) produces 6GL per year of recycled water through
micro filtration reverse osmosis, making it one of the largest in Australia. The recycled water is
of high and consistent quality and used by the major industries in this area.
Reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation of parks, gardens, golf courses and ovals is
widespread in WA, such as the Broome Golf Course and Oval, parks and trotting track in
Northam, and the Wyalkatchem Bowls Club.
Horticulture, such as tree plantations, vineyards and food crops, provides a high potential for
increased usage of recycled water in the future. However, smaller treatment plants in close
proximity to horticultural areas would be needed to make this viable.
Household use of recycled wastewater beyond potential IPR is unlikely to play a major role or
increase substantially in the near and medium future due to capital and operating costs. The
focus for residential water reuse is on storm and rainwater, with many Perth residents installing
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groundwater bores in the superficial aquifer for outdoor garden use. This is essentially a form
of stormwater reuse, but is not generally measured as such.
Figure 40: recycled water progress to 2015, Western Australia (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis.
Figure 40 summarises the Western Australian water recycling scenarios to 2015. Clearly, the
potential of IPR through the Groundwater Replenishment project will dominate recycled water
use in WA should it go ahead, bringing state recycling to 30 per cent. In the absence of this
project, state recycling will total around 12 per cent of wastewater flows to 2015.
7.4 Stormwater reuse in WA
No stormwater reuse projects were identified in Perth. MJA is aware of a number of possible
projects, however these do not yet have any formal commitment. Perth’s current use of
groundwater, which is sourced from stormwater intrusion, has tended to limit active stormwater
reuse projects.
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Tasmania

The Tasmanian Government does not have specific commitments for recycled
wastewater, which does not feature heavily in water supply planning in Tasmania.

Wastewater recycling in 2009/10 totalled 6.2 per cent of wastewater flows in Tasmania.

By 2015, an estimated 6.6 per cent of wastewater flows will be used for recycling in
Tasmania.
8.1 Discussion
Wastewater recycling and stormwater recycling schemes in Tasmania are small in number and
volume, reflecting a relative lack of consumptive demand in Tasmania when compared with
mainland capital cities. While some drought has been experienced in Tasmania, the urban water
shortages affecting mainland capitals have not been evident to the same extent in Tasmania.
Wastewater recycling schemes in Tasmania typically involve the irrigation of golf courses,
agricultural land (pasture, seed crop) or municipal recreational areas, requiring ‘Class B’ quality
standard as specified in the Tasmanian Environmental guidelines for the use of recycled water
in Tasmania.38
Tasmania is in the process of reforming the institutional arrangements for the removal of
wastewater from urban areas.39 As a result, progress on recycling and its reporting is in
transition.
From 1 July 2009, three regional water corporations were incorporated and took on the role
previously played by the councils in providing water and wastewater services: Southern Water,
Cradle Coast Water and Ben Lomond Water. These service providers are owned by the
constituent councils and inherited their operations and assets. In addition, a common service
provider, owned by the three regional providers, was established.
Regulation became formalised with industry-wide approach. The Office of the Tasmanian
Economic Regulator (OTTER) is responsible for economic regulation including explicitly
setting prices, approving plans and compliance monitoring. The Director of Public Health is
responsible for public health issues from supply of water and wastewater services. These relate
predominantly to water supply.
The Environment Protection Authority is particularly concerned with regulation of Level 2
wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Finally, the Department of Primary Industries, Parks,
Water and the Environment (Urban Water Policy Unit) administers the new licensing regime
and provides strategic input for planning in the industry.
38
Office of the Tasmanian Economic Regulator (2011) Tasmanian Water and Sewerage State of the Industry
Report 2009-10, March, p. 52.
39
This section derives from the recent report Office of the Tasmanian Economic Regulator (2011) Tasmanian
Water and Sewerage State of the Industry Report 2009-10, March.
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8.2 Tasmanian water recycling 2009/10
There are 84 Level 240 waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) in Tasmania with the
overwhelming majority (78) operated by the three regional service corporations. Recycling
activity is dominated by that provided by Southern Water and its volumes are dominated by the
Brighton & Bridgwater scheme and the Clarence Recycled Water scheme. This latter scheme is
being expanded by Southern Water with linkages to Rokeby and Cambridge WWTPs.
None of these new entities provided audited data to the NWC for its National Performance
Report 2010/11. However, the new entities report to OTTER. These data are being developed
to meet the NPR standards but as noted above, comprehensive data across all WWTPs are not
yet available.
Figure 41: Tasmanian wastewater recycling volume and proportion, 2009/10 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of OTTER, 2011.
As noted, recycled water data for Tasmania is limited. Data represented herein is derived from
the OTTER review with Hobart data reflecting returns for Southern Water and those for Cradle
Coast and Ben Lomond for the rest of Tasmania. In 2009/10, recycling accounted for only
6.2 per cent of waste water production in Tasmania, with higher rates in Hobart than for the rest
of Tasmania.41
40
A Level 2 plant has a design capacity of 100kL dry weather flow per day.
41
OTTER (2011), p. 40.
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8.3 Tasmanian progress against the Commonwealth target to
2015
While the feasibility of a number of projects is being explored, OTTER reports that beyond
existing projects, only one project is actively being developed by Southern Water. The South
East Tasmania recycled water scheme removes nutrients from the Derwent and supplies water
to irrigators. Total volumes supplied are of the order of 2.7GL per annum. The project is
expected to be completed in June 2011. The scheme will connect with the existing recycled
water scheme supplying Coal River district.
Figure 42: Expected Tasmanian wastewater recycling and implicit national target, 2015 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of OTTER, 2011.
Note: Percentages reflect recycled wastewater only.
Beyond this, no growth in recycled water is identified in Tasmania. As such, expected
Tasmanian wastewater recycling is expected to fall below 30 per cent by 2015 (Figure 42).
8.4 Stormwater reuse in Tasmania
Two Commonwealth funded stormwater reuse projects were identified in Tasmania. The
Moonah Stormwater Harvesting and Industrial Reuse Scheme will supply up to a capacity of
470ML per year in Hobart for Glenorchy Council. The Kingborough Sports Precinct
Stormwater Harvesting and Reuse Project is being revised at the time of writing, and as such
volumes have not been included in the analysis.
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Northern Territory

The NT Government does not have specific commitments for increased recycled water
use, but manages recycled water applications in line with National Guidelines.

Wastewater recycling in 2009/10 totalled 6 per cent of wastewater flows in the NT.

By 2015, an estimated 5.9 per cent of wastewater flows will be used for recycling in the
NT, as no specific growth is identified.
9.1 Discussion
The Power and Water Corporation is responsible for the provision of reticulated water and
waste water services for five major and 15 minor centres in the Northern Territory.42 In terms
of numbers served and volumes of water, these are dominated by supplies to Darwin and Alice
Springs.
It is of note that average water domestic consumption in the Northern Territory is around double
the Australian average. More than half of this consumption is on Territorian gardens.
Interestingly, revenue from charges covers around 20 per cent of the costs of providing
electricity, water and sewerage services. The remainder is funded through the NT government.
The Department of Health and Families administers applications for the capture and use of
recycled water. The National Guidelines43 have been adapted by the Department to its
approvals process. The NT guidelines44 provide a framework for managing risks associated
with provision and use of recycled water.
9.2 NT water recycling 2009/10
Details on waste water and recycling services provided by PAWC are available from its Annual
Report and the NWC NPR. Figure 43 summarises the volume and proportion of wastewater
recycled in Darwin and the rest of the Northern Territory for 2009/10. A total of 2.5 per cent of
wastewater flows in Darwin were recycled in 2009/10, and over 27 per cent in the rest of the
Northern Territory.
42
Power and Water Corporation (2010) Annual Report 2009/10, p. 8.
43
Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council, Environment Protection and Heritage Council, Australian
Health Ministers Conference (2006) Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling: Managing Health and
Environmental Risks (Phase 1), November.
44
Department of Health and Families (2009) Environmental Health: Guidelines for Management of Recycled
Water Systems, September.
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Figure 43: Northern Territory wastewater recycling volume and proportion 2009/10 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of Power and Water Corporation, 2010, Annual Report 2009/10.
A major addition to capacity has been the Water Reuse in the Alice project. This treats 600ML
of waste water for use at to the Arid Zone Research Institute for horticultural projects. The
reuse project has the capacity to treat 1,800ML pa.
9.3 NT progress against the Commonwealth target to 2015
PAWC has set its capital works program through to 2013/14. The Corporation did not note any
major recycling works in its 2011/12 Statement of Corporate Intent. However, it will consider
recycling options in reducing the impact of Darwin’s discharge of effluent over the next 15-20
years.
As such, there remains a significant gap between expected NT wastewater recycling and the
national 30 per cent target (Figure 44). On a proportional basis, this gap is mostly in Darwin.
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Figure 44: Expected Northern Territory wastewater recycling and implicit national target, 2015
(ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of Power and Water Corporation, 2010, Annual Report 2009/10.
9.4 Stormwater reuse in the Northern Territory
No stormwater reuse projects were identified in the Northern Territory.
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10 Australian Capital Territory

The ACT Government is currently reviewing a target of increasing wastewater recycling
from 5 per cent to 20 per cent (of 2004 wastewater volumes) by 2013.

Wastewater recycling in 2009/10 totalled 13.3 per cent of wastewater flows in the ACT.

By 2015, an estimated 12.7 per cent of wastewater flows will be used for recycling in
the ACT, as no growth is planned and a number of smaller current recycling projects
may be discontinued.
10.1 Discussion
The ACT water supply relies almost entirely on surface water. Four major reservoirs deliver
water to Canberra and its 360,000 inhabitants. In normal conditions about 90 per cent is
sourced from the three Cotter River reservoirs, with Googong Reservoir supplying the
remainder.
ACT water and wastewater is managed by a single utility; ACTEW. Policy for water resource
strategy is undertaken by the ACT Government, through the Department of Environment,
Climate Change, Energy and Water (DECCEW).
Presently, almost all wastewater treated by ACTEW returns to the Murrumbidgee river
following treatment, with water sourced from reservoirs considered a ‘temporary diversion’
from the Murrumbidgee (ACT reservoirs sit on the Cotter and Queanbean Rivers – both flow
into the Murrumbidgee). Thus, active use of recycled water can act to reduce return flows to the
Murrumbidgee, if it does not offset demand that would otherwise draw on reservoirs. The
position of stormwater in this ‘return flows’ scenario is unclear – reductions in stormwater flows
to rivers could result in the same net impact as wastewater recycling.
Water storages had been at or below 50 per cent for several years until 2010, not unlike many
other cities across Australia. This drove increasing interest in the development of climate
independent water supply options such as increased recycling for IPR or potable substitution.
However, the increased rainfall returning to the eastern seaboard also dramatically replenished
ACT’s storages from 2010 and they now sit near full (see Figure 45). ACTEW has also
invested $500m in supply side improvements, notably an augmentation of Cotter Dam and the
Murrumbidgee to Googong Transfer. They expect these augmentations to defer next stage
supply investments by 25-30 years, depending on population growth and climate change
impacts. This has resulted in the deferral of any significant water supply augmentation in the
short term, and a renewed focus on cost-effectiveness of next stage water supply augmentation
decisions.
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Figure 45: Total ACT storage levels since 2006
Source: http://www.actew.com.au/water/damlevels.aspx
The ACT Government’s water resources strategy, Think water, act water, was released in 2004,
and is currently under review. In this report, the Government targets a 12 per cent and 25 per
cent reduction in water consumption by 2013 and 2023, respectively. Demand management
might be sufficient to reach the 12 per cent target. However, additional means are necessary to
decrease water consumption by 25 per cent. This is planned to be achieved through several
measures, amongst others:

sustainable water recycling;

stormwater harvesting;

rainwater tanks; and

greywater reuse.
The ACT Government has a target of increasing wastewater recycling from 5 per cent to 20 per
cent (of 2004 wastewater volumes) by 2013. This target is currently being reviewed.
10.2 ACT water recycling 2009/10
At present, ActewAGL operates three wastewater projects, which provide recycled water for
irrigation purposes:

the Southwell Park Watermining Project (10 hectares of sporting fields) – 6ML per year;

the North Canberra Water Reuse Scheme (NCWRS) supplies seven sites totalling
70 hectares across North Canberra – 17ML per year); and
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the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre (LMWQCC) effluent reuse scheme
supplies treated water to nearby vineyards (100 hectares) and a golf course (30 hectares) –
4.175GL per year.
Additionally, ACTEW manages a golf course reuse project (101ML per year) and dust
suppression/tree irrigation tankers (2ML per year).
The ACT is in a different water supply and water recycling situation to other urban centres. By
requirement, it must return flows to the Murrumbidgee. These are not included in the base ACT
analysis. However, provision of these flows implies significant recycling of itself. By way of
comparison, these flows are included under ACT (returns).
Figure 46: ACT wastewater recycling 2009/10 with/without return flows (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC (2011), National Performance Report.
10.3 ACT progress towards the Commonwealth target to 2015
Discussion with ACTEW revealed that both Southwell Park and the NCWRS projects are
currently being reviewed due to high cost of supply and the requirement for capital renewal.
This could mean that wastewater recycling in the ACT could decrease slightly in future.
The design of an ambitious IPR wastewater recycling project announced in 2007 has been
finalised. This ACTEW proposal could increase the ACT’s water supply by 2.9GL per year
(and ultimately 9.1GL per year) by adding purified recycled water from the LMWQCC to the
enlarged Cotter Dam.45 If implemented, it would bring ACT wastewater recycling to over
30 per cent.
45
http://www.actew.com.au/publications/WaterPurificationSchemeForTheACT.pdf
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However, implementation of the project has been deferred subject to the successful
implementation of three other water security projects.46 ACTEW plans to continue to monitor
water storage levels, rainfall and inflows to determine whether water purification is required to
help secure the future water supply.
A key issue impeding progress of the project is the disposal of the brine waste product from the
desalination wastewater treatment process, in line with environmental standards and community
expectations. Significant volumes of salt are produced in treatment, and cannot be easily
disposed of in inland areas where ocean outfall is not a cost-effective option.
The Future Sewerage Options Review Summary (2010-2060) noted that while active use of
100 per cent of wastewater was cost prohibitive in Canberra, increased recycled use for public
open space should be further investigated.47
As noted above, without active plans for increased wastewater recycling, and the review of two
smaller current wastewater recycling projects, there may be a small reduction in wastewater
recycling to 2015 in the ACT. If return flows are included as wastewater recycling, recycled
water volumes will increase with wastewater volumes (Figure 47)
Figure 47: Expected ACT wastewater recycling and implicit national target, 2015 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis of NWC (2011) National Performance Report. Percentages reflect recycled wastewater only.
10.4 ACT Stormwater reuse
Canberra Integrated Urban Waterways is a Water Smart Project funded through the
Commonwealth (up to $10.2m) and the ACT Government ($6.8m) to capture, treat and reuse
stormwater runoff within the ACT urban catchment.
46
The major projects currently underway include the Enlarged Cotter Dam, the Murrumbidgee to Googong Water
Transfer and the Tantangara Transfer.
47
http://www.actew.com.au/publications/Future-Sewerage-Options-Review-Summary.pdf
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Original targets set by the project were for up to 3GL per year harvested and reused for public
open space irrigation and private irrigation use by 2015. 3GL per year broadly translates to the
entire public open space irrigation needs of the ACT, and seven per cent of total annual potable
supplies.
Discussion with the ACT Government revealed that an estimated 1.53GL per year is expected to
be online from the project in 2012, after which a detailed cost benefit assessment will be
undertaken to determine the feasibility of project expansion. As such, a reasonable expectation
is for this volume (1.53GL) to be produced by 2015.48
48
Pers. Comm. Jennie Gilles, ACT Government, 23 June 2011.
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11 Opportunities to enhance recycled water
use in Australia
The feasibility and cost effectiveness of any recycled water project can only be assessed in
detail with a thorough analysis of its costs and benefits, based on the specific circumstances of
each project. Broad statements on the potential for expansion of different types of recycled
water are not appropriate, as the details of particular projects will tend to dictate their ultimate
cost effectiveness. However, high-level analysis can provide some useful insights on recycled
water project potential.
Identifying opportunities for enhancing or increasing recycled wastewater use in Australia
requires the discovery of circumstances exhibiting the following features:

sufficient or abundant supply of wastewater from which to generate recycled water
supply;

demand for recycled water from one or more users sufficient to justify development of a
recycled water project, or the extension of one already in operation; and

identification of circumstances such that the wastewater can be treated to an extent that
is fit for purpose, stored as required before and/or delivered to customers at a financial
cost which can be justified to the user in a commercial arrangement.
In no jurisdiction or major centre therein is there insufficient volume of wastewater from which
to generate a recycled water supply. As such, the first condition is unlikely to be an inhibiting
factor.
11.1 Excess recycled water capacity
There is evidence in a number of jurisdictions of a significant surplus in supply over demand, or
insufficient latent demand to justify further growth, especially where large-scale projects have
been developed. Take the following examples:

SEQ’s Western Corridor Recycled Water Project has the capacity to produce 85GL per year
of potable quality recycled water from a number of sites across Brisbane and Ipswich, with
a delivery network already in place. While the project is currently being used as a drought
management tool with potential IPR, estimated volumes recycled to 2015 are in the order of
14-22GL per year. Thus, there is a latent supply of around 70GL per year which could be
used for industrial, commercial and municipal use, of which up to 32GL per year has been
offered to agricultural users in the Lockyer Valley should a demand arise that can be
provided at the marginal cost of delivery49;

Melbourne’s Eastern Treatment Plant upgrade will result in 100GL per year of Class A
treated wastewater available for use from July 2012. At this stage, no significant users have
been identified, with current exploration of potential agricultural demand in the Bunyip
49
http://www.qwc.qld.gov.au/planning/pdf/seqws-full.pdf p.3.
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Food Belt on Melbourne’s south eastern fringe. As with other agricultural schemes,
capacity to pay is a key issue and long-term demand of more than 15GL per year would
appear unlikely; and

a number of smaller centres such as Coffs Harbour (NSW) and Mackay (QLD) have made
significant investments in recycled water capacity, with supply now higher than current
demand.50 If key projects were used at capacity at 2015, national progress would be far
more advanced. Figure 48 provides an illustration of national recycled water capacity at
2015, were the Eastern Treatment Plant (100GL per year), Western Corridor (85GL per
year) and Perth’s Groundwater Replenishment IPR project (35GL per year) to operate at full
capacity.
As shown in Figure 48, with all these projects operating at capacity, and stormwater volumes
(20 GL per year) included, total recycled water use would exceed 30 per cent, and falls just
below the target without Perth’s IPR.
Figure 48: National recycled water with project capacity, 2015 (ML/year)
Source: MJA analysis.
Notes: Blue bar is expected recycled water use to 2015, white bar is excess capacity of key projects: Eastern
Treatment Plant, Western Corridor Recycled Water Project, Perth’s Groundwater Replenishment project. Diamond
demonstrates the national 30 per cent target. Orange bar is national stormwater capacity at 2015, for illustrative
purposes.
50
These regional projects are driven by a range of factors, including the environmental health of receiving waters.
However, where supply significantly exceeds demand, it would suggest that further augmentations would be
ineffective in recycled water use in the short term.
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While the projects shown in Figure 48 are unlikely to operate at even a fraction of full capacity
by 2015, the chart illustrates the significant investment that has been made in recycling
infrastructure. Further commitments should be cognisant of the significant excess of supply over
demand at the current time. As such, potential opportunities for increasing recycled water use
across Australia lie in two key areas:
1. identifying existing or potential demand for significant volumes of recycled water in major
centres; and
2. for smaller centres, identifying likely locations where supply of and demand for recycled
water exists, such that conditions lend themselves to favourable economics (e.g., demand
proximate to supply source, cost of supply is relatively cost-effective compared with
alternatives).
These two elements are discussed further below.
11.2 Demand for recycled water – Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR)
The greatest potential for the optimal use of recycled water in Australia is for the full range of
recycled water uses to be assessed on their merits, against the full range of alternative options
(dams, desalination, demand management, etc). Currently in Australia, non-consumptive uses
are assessed on their merits by decision makers within water supply planning and project
feasibility assessment. This cannot be said for indirect potable consumption options.
Formal bans on the indirect consumption of recycled wastewater remain in New South Wales,
Victoria and South Australia.51 Formal bans are not in place in other jurisdictions, and while
IPR projects form active parts of water supply planning in Queensland (Western Corridor) and
Perth (Groundwater Replenishment), no jurisdiction is yet to introduce recycled wastewater into
public drinking supplies.
Objection is essentially on public health grounds, based on the potential risks to human health
from consumption. However, it is argued that these risks can be effectively managed, and IPR
projects are in operation in a number of countries around the world:
In a comprehensive review, Khan and Roser (2007) concluded that indirect potable
water reuse is a safe supply source, noting that ‘the level of stringency applied to
planned indirect potable water recycling schemes is well beyond that which is
common international practice and already occurs in water supplies in Sydney,
Brisbane and Melbourne.52
Further, it is arguable that the active exclusion of IPR projects from water supply planning
increases the cost of water supply to urban centres, by removing potentially more cost effective
options than would otherwise be implemented.
51
National Water Commission, 2010, Position Statement: Urban Water Recycling, November.
52
National Water Commission, 2011, Urban Water in Australia: Future Directions. p. 22. Study referenced is
Khan S and Roser D 2007, Risk assessment and health effects studies of indirect potable reuse schemes,
prepared for the Local Government Association of Queensland, Centre for Water and Wastewater Technology,
University of New South Wales.
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International and Australian research is emerging to suggest that direct potable
reuse may be the least-cost supply option in future.53
Certainly, there are a number of potential benefits of IPR that support its cost effectiveness as a
general principle:

wastewater is less saline than sea water, and the costs of treatment for wastewater tend to be
lower than for desalinated wastewater as a general principle;

by adding to existing potable storages, IPR projects can avoid the cost of additional surface
water storage;

by delivering through existing potable delivery systems, IPR projects avoid costly
duplication of water systems, unlike third pipe non-potable projects;

by augmenting potable supplies, IPR project costs are compared against the costs of
alternative potable supply options, unlike recycled water projects that do not either augment
or substitute for potable supplies (such as projects for agricultural reuse); and

by adding to potable storages, they can produce significant volumes, benefitting from
economies of scale (Western Corridor is capable of supplying 85GL per year, and Perth’s
Groundwater Replenishment project will produce up to 70GL per year over the long term,
should it be approved).
While the cost effectiveness of specific IPR projects must be determined on a case by case
basis, it is clear that there is significant potential for increased recycled water use in Australia to
emerge from the consideration of all water supply options on their own relative merits.
11.3 Identification of recycled water projects
MJA has not identified significant unmet demand for recycled water in any particular
circumstances throughout this review, especially in urban centres where greater data consistency
exists, along with greater resources for water supply planning. Indeed, recent returns to higher
rainfall in eastern Australia have reduced the pressure on water supply planners in major centres
in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, as has the delivery of desalination plants in
major capitals by 2012.
However, a number of significant, cost effective recycled wastewater and stormwater projects
have been developed for industrial users and in regional centres. It is likely that further
opportunities exist, particularly within towns and cities that have high cost water supply
alternatives or difficulties in disposing of wastewater.
At a high level, an analysis which could assist this process would be a ‘Hotspot Analysis’,
which develops a framework of elements which lend themselves to cost-effective recycled water
projects, and then applies that framework Australia-wide. This would reveal a list of locations
that might benefit from further analysis to establish the cost-effectiveness of recycled water
projects in their water supply systems.
53
National Water Commission, p.29. United States Environmental Protection Authority, Agency Guidelines for
Water Reuse, Washington DC, 2010.
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This type of analysis would require awareness of the more limited resources and capacities of
water supply planners in non-metropolitan centres.
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