How is Recycled Water Produced?
Department of Health guidelines are followed to make sure recycled water is fit for purpose and safe for the intended use. Natural biological processes are used to treat sewage to produce EPA Class C recycled water. Further treatment of Class C recycled water is required to produce EPA Class A recycled water.
We produce recycled water from our two sewage treatment plants.
Activated sludge plant at Western Treatment Plant
At the Western Treatment Plant:
- Sewage is treated using natural processes of sedimentation, activated sludge, lagoon biological action and sunlight disinfection, to produce Class C recycled water. Some of this recycled water is used onsite.
- Some Class C recycled water is further disinfected using chlorination and ultraviolet (UV) light to produce Class A recycled water. This is supplied to a number of offsite customers via City West Water and Southern Rural Water.
At the Eastern Treatment Plant:
Sediment tank at Eastern Treatment Plant
- Sewage is treated using natural sedimentation and biological processes and chlorination to produce Class C recycled water. Some of this is used for in-plant processes and some of it is supplied to a number of offsite customers via South East Water.
- Some Class C recycled water is further treated using advanced ultra filtration methods by a private operator, Water Infrastructure Group, to produce Class A recycled water. This is supplied to irrigation customers in the Eastern Irrigation Scheme as well as to residential dual pipe customers nearby via South East Water.
- The Eastern Treatment Plant tertiary treatment upgrade, due for completion in late 2012, is planned to enable the production of high quality ‘fit for purpose’ recycled water from the plant’s entire throughput.
More information:
- Eastern Treatment Plant - Planned Upgrade
- Guidelines for Environmental Management: Use of Reclaimed Water - EPA Victoria