Sustainable businesses using recycled water

Every year Sydney Water produces around 39 gigalitres of recycled water. That’s equivalent to around 15,600 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Around 34 per cent of this is used by businesses and councils for a variety of purposes.

Every year Sydney Water produces around 39 gigalitres of recycled water. That’s equivalent to around 15,600 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Around 34 per cent of this is used by businesses and councils for a variety of purposes.

Business customers who use this type of water for some of their processes reduce the overall demand on Sydney’s precious drinking water supply, helping Sydney Water to preserve this supply where it’s needed.

Currently, 18 businesses and councils are directly connected to Sydney Water’s water resource recovery facilities and supplied with recycled water for industrial, agricultural and industrial purposes.

Background:

Recycled water is wastewater that has undergone multiple treatment processes to ensure it is safe and suitable for its end-use. It’s used by businesses and councils for irrigation, agricultural and industrial purposes.

Most of this water in Sydney and the Illawarra is produced at Sydney Water’s water resource recovery facilities. The largest facility is the St Marys Advanced Water Treatment Plant, which produces more than 10 gigalitres of very high-quality recycled water a year (4000 Olympic swimming pools).

Businesses using this water for irrigation, agricultural or industrial uses can save a significant amount of money on their water bills. The cost of recycled water per kilolitre is significantly lower than the drinking water cost, and on average business customers can save between 30 and 50 per cent off their water bills by using this water for irrigation, agricultural and industrial purposes.

Quotes: Caleb Furner, Manager Strategic Business Customer Operations, Sydney Water 

“Recycled water can have many sources, including stormwater, groundwater and wastewater. At Sydney Water, the majority of the recycled water we produce is wastewater that we’ve treated through multiple treatment processes to ensure it’s fit for its proposed end use.”

“It is important to try and use this type of reused water in order to reduce the amount of drinking water used when it comes to things like irrigation, agriculture or industrial processes. This can significantly alleviate the strain on our drinking water supply, particularly when we consider periods of drought and increased population growth.”

“Businesses tend to use recycled water for a variety of purposes, primarily for irrigation of playing fields and ovals and golf courses, equally for industrial processes and also in agricultural settings.”

“We have about 18 customers that have connected directly to our water resource recovery facilities. These businesses are supplied recycled water for those types of processes, and that accounts for about 34 per cent of our overall recycled water use.”

“When our business customers use this water for irrigation, or in an agricultural or industrial setting, they are using wastewater that has been treated to a high standard that’s appropriate for that end-use. As a result, they’re not drawing down on our precious drinking water supply and they can help Sydney Water to preserve the drinking water supply for where it’s needed.

“Business customers using recycled water for irrigation or in agricultural and industrial settings, on average, can save between 30 and 50 per cent off their drinking water bills.”

Quotes: Wayne McKeon, Club President, Dunheved Golf Club Ltd

“We use 53 megalitres, which is to use for our greens, tees and fairways, and that equivalates to about 21 Olympic-sized swimming pools each year.”

“(The) most cost-effective way to water your golf course is recycled water. It’s the lifeblood of our club, so without water, we don’t have a golf course”

“We 100 per cent use recycled water which obviously then doesn’t impact on precious drinking water (supplies) which is not used. It’s good for both the golf course to keep it lush and green, it’s good for our members, it’s good for the broader community who use our facilities, and it’s also good for the plant and bird life, so it’s great.”

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