How All Perth's Sewage Could be Turned into Drinking Water
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Technology
More of Perth's sewage could be treated and injected back into the city's groundwater supply, with tests on metropolitan sewerage plants to work out their suitability for the process already underway.
The Water Corporation said while there were no firm timeframes, it was feasible that eventually 100 per cent of Perth's sewage could be recycled and put back into drinking water.
Representative image, Wastewater treatment plant, Source: Wikimedia Commons, Labeled for reuse
Just 10 per cent of the city's 134 billion litres of wastewater is recycled into drinking supplies via a landmark treatment plant at Beenyup in Craigie, in the northern suburbs.
The utility is currently expanding the plant's capacity from 14 billion litres to 28 billion litres a year, in a move that will cost $262 million and is set to be completed in 2019.
Water Corporation assets planning general manager Ashley Vincent said the success of the Beenyup plant was proof more of Perth's sewage could be recycled in this way.
"We've demonstrated through trials and with the opening of the treatment plant at Beenyup that technically it's quite achievable," Mr Vincent said.
"As we look forward, we look around at our other wastewater treatment facilities in the metropolitan area, and we certainly have a view that's it's possible to re-use that water as well.
"Over the next couple of years we'll be investigating the nature of the groundwater around our major treatment facilities and Woodman Point and Subiaco, or Shenton Park, looking at how suitable they are for highly treated water."
Other existing wastewater treatment facilities are located in Alkimos and East Rockingham.
Mr Vincent conceded that with some of the facilities close to industrial areas — where there was the potential for exposure to risks such as groundwater contamination — extra vigilance was needed.
However, he was confident the corporation could overcome such challenges.
The Corporation is already conducting a drilling program to investigate the viability of different aquifers for re-injection.
Read full article: ABC
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Taxonomy
- Reclaimed Wastewater
- Wastewater Treatment
- Wastewater Collection
- Integrated Urban Water Management
- Smart City
- Urban Water
- Urban Water Supply
- Urban Water Infrastructure