Planning for water services

• Groundwater replenishment
• Wungong catchment trial

Water supply

• Groundwater
• Desalination
• Surface water
• Rainfall in Perth
• Who uses our water
• Daily water supply figures
• Regional water supply

Water quality

• What is in my drinking water
• Water quality publications

Drainage

• Review of declared drainage area boundaries

Wastewater

• Wastewater treatment plants
• Biosolids
• Ocean disposal of treated wastewater
• Infill sewerage program

Water recycling

• Water recycling for industry
• Water recycling for irrigation
• Water recycling for the environment
• Water recycling for residential use
• Groundwater replenishment
• Sewer mining

Works in your area

• Perth Region
• Great Southern Region
• South West Region
• Goldfields and Agricultural Region
• Mid West Region
• North West Region

What is recycled water?

Recycled water is usually treated wastewater which is further treated to varying qualities that is “fit for purpose” for its intended use. It can then be used for:

• Irrigation of sports grounds, golf courses and public open spaces;
• Industrial processing;
• Groundwater replenishment;
• Toilet flushing / clothes washing / garden watering;
• Environmental benefits (eg: maintaining wetlands);
• Irrigation of food crops;
• Irrigation of non-food crops (eg: trees, woodlots, turf, flowers);
• Construction / dust surpression; and
• firefighting.

Why should we recycle water?

Water recycling is an essential part of maintaining a reliable, sustainable and safe water supply for Western Australia.  Increasing the amount of water that is recycled is crucial to managing our precious drinking water resources efficiently and making the most of our wastewater resource that is often 'wasted water'.

Our 50 year plan, Water Forever - Towards Climate Resilience  created a portfolio of water options to help make Perth more climate resilient. Working in partnership with the community, by 2060, the Water Corporation intends to:

• Reduce water use by 25%;
• Increase wastewater recycling to 60%; and
• Develop up to 100 gigalitres of new sources.

This will require collaboration between the Water Corporation, State and Local Government, business, industry and the community.

The Water Corporation is involved in approximately 71 water recycling schemes in Western Australia.

While water recycling has been undertaken in regional areas of Western Australia for many years, only 6% of treated wastewater is recycled in the Perth metropolitan area.  This is mainly due to the abundant supply of groundwater in Perth. However this is not sustainable in the long term with many groundwater areas in WA reaching the limit of their supply or groundwater levels declining. 

Generally, Western Australians are accepting of water recycling with research showing that 90 per cent of Perth residents support recycling treated wastewater for irrigation of recreational areas, industrial or agricultural use.

	Water Forever: Towards Climate Resilience 50 year plan

Increasing water recycling

To achieve the targets set for increasing water recycling, the Water Corporation is exploring a range of options including;

• groundwater replenishment where high quality recycled water is stored in groundwater for future water supplies;
• beneficial recycling of water to the environment;
• increasing water recycling to existing and new industry;
• dual reticulation recycling schemes for new subdivisions; and
• using recycled water to irrigate public open space.

Water recycling is supported where risks to human or environmental health are carefully managed in accordance with national and State guidelines and local regulation such as Department of Health (DoH), Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) and Department of Water (DoW).

Water recycling for community benefit

To help increase the amount of water that is recycled, the Water Corporation can, where available, provide recycled water free of charge for community benefit.  This means that with the relevant DoH, DEC and DoW approvals, this water can be used to irrigate public parks, ovals, recreation areas, school grounds as well as other uses that benefit the community.

This water would be provided on an 'as is - where is' basis which means the user of the recycled water would be responsible for all infrastructure, additional treatment and associated pipework costs from the delivery point.  The delivery point may be the wastewater treatment plant boundary, the disinfection point, a meter or a sprinkler head or other point.

For example, if a local shire wants to irrigate a public oval, this would be seen as community benefit.  If adequate wastewater was available, it could be provided at the delivery point free of charge.  The Shire would be responsible for any additional treatment, disinfection, pipework and storage (if necessary).  This water could not be sold on to a third party for commercial profit.

If you would like more information on using recycled water from one of the Water Corporation's wastewater treatment plants as an alternative water source, please email water.recycling@watercorporation.com.au.  For a copy of the application form to irrigate with recycled water, please click on the following link.

	Application form for recycled water for irrigation