Water Recycling - A global perspective
| Related Links | |
|---|---|
| Sydney Olympic Park | |
| NEWater | |
| Orange County Water District - California - Orange County | |
| Groundwater Replenishment System - California - Orange County | |
National schemes
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Northern Adelaide Plains
(South Australia)
Recycled water (treated to a very high standard) is supplied through the Virginia Pipeline Scheme to provide growers with water of guaranteed quality for unrestricted irrigation purposes. Crops include cabbages, carrots and potatoes. Supply of this water has reduced demand on other water sources such as rainfall, surface water and groundwater which were being over-used and degraded in quality because of human activities.
Sydney Olympic Park
(New South Wales)
The Water Reclamation and Management Scheme at Sydney Olympic Park is a good example of a complete system for water management of a discrete area.
The scheme recycles water using advanced biological treatment and membrane filtration technologies. Drainage water is also collected, treated and recycled.
The recycled water is delivered to homes in a separate pipe where it can be used for toilet flushing, irrigation, washing cars and other household and garden uses. It is not used for drinking or swimming pools.
International schemes
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Many other countries are also looking at treated wastewater as a resource rather than a waste product.
Israel
In Israel no wastewater can be discharged directly to the ocean. As a result all of the wastewater is recycled. Recycled water is used for irrigation and may also be used for injection into coastal aquifers to protect them from saline intrusion.
Singapore
Singapore is well on the way to becoming self-sufficient in water after the NEWater tap was turned on in February 2003. NEWater is highly treated recycled water that has been strongly endorsed as a safe and sustainable source of water exceeding the drinking water standards of the World Health Organisation (WHO). NEWater was subjected to 20,000 tests over two years before it was endorsed by the WHO. A visitor centre costing around $5million has been built over the NEWater plant to give visitors an understanding of how NEWater is produced.