Yulara recycled waste water a model for other arid zones?

Bottoms up to waste water!

Gavin King in the Northern Territory News wrote recently that Yulara residents and tourists will be the first in Australia to drink recycled waste water as part of a $1.3 million project. Effluent will be treated and pumped underground in a 10-year cycle before a third and final treatment makes it suitable for drinking.

The process includes:

• A multifaceted initial treatment including disinfection to produce a high-quality effluent;
• Pumping of water underground where it is treated naturally over 10 years;
• Final treatment using reverse osmosis before it is used as drinking water.

About 250 megalitres of treated waste water is expected to be added to the existing groundwater system each year. Power and Water Corporation Water Services general manager Darryl Day said the water would be strictly monitored in partnership with the Health Department.

“In 2002, the effluent treatment used for irrigation was stopped after we took a health risk assessment,” he said.

Parliamentary secretary Malcolm Turnbull has recently announced three Territory water grants, saying “A really key part of the Yulara project is the demonstration value…It can be a really good working example of what can be done in arid zones and possibly transferred to other areas.”

He encouraged community groups to apply for future Water Smart Australia grants.