Download Purified recycled water for drinking

Water options
In planning South East Queensland’s water future, it is important to understand the water
options available to us.
Purified recycled water for drinking
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Recycling water for drinking means taking pre-treated waste water and purifying it to exceed
drinking water standards so we can use it again, rather than waste it.
The waste water passes through seven barriers to purify it. This includes removing bacteria
and some viruses, dissolved salts and pesticides, organic compounds and organisms and
then disinfection through chlorine (as with all sources of water)
There are two ways purified recycled water can be introduced to our drinking water supply:
— Direct potable reuse - putting the purified recycled water directly into the drinking water
supply.
— Indirect potable reuse - adding the recycled water to other untreated water, generally in
a dam. The purified water mixes with the dam water and is treated again in a
conventional water treatment plant before entering the water supply.
In South East Queensland, the Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme is an indirect
potable reuse scheme.
The scheme was built during the Millennium Drought and is not currently being used
because our surface water supplies are high.
Purified water produced by the Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme can be piped to
Wivenhoe Dam for storage, then treated at the Mt Crosby Water Treatment Plant.
Recycling water for drinking is a climate resilient option but is marginally impacted by
drought because we use less water during dry times.
Purified recycled water for drinking is less energy intensive and less expensive than
desalination but requires more energy to produce than surface water and is therefore more
expensive.
Purified recycling water for drinking can result in reduced nutrient discharge to waterways.