Alternative Water Supplies

City West Water is working to supply homes in some West Werribee estates, council parklands and the Werribee Racecourse with one type of alternative water; recycled water.

Recycled water is produced using the wastewater from households, businesses and industry. The wastewater goes through an intensive cleaning process at a treatment plant to become recycled water. Recycled water can be used for garden watering, washing cars and toilet flushing.

To use recycled water you must live in an estate where recycled water is available through special purple coloured taps and pipes, or have it delivered and applied on your property by a registered recycled water carter. Storage of recycled water on residential properties is not currently allowed. 

We currently supply recycled water from Melbourne Water's Western Treatment Plant to the Werribee Employment Precinct and Mackillop College for irrigation and other non-drinking purposes.

• What quality controls are in place for recycled water?

  City West Water is responsible for maintaining the quality of the recycled water that we will supply. Similar to drinking water, water quality testing of recycled water will be conducted on a regular basis. City West Water also provides training workshops and audits for local plumbers to ensure that recycled water connections are fitted according to Plumbing Industry Commission regulations.

• How is recycled water produced and supplied?

  The recycled water that City West Water will supply to residents in West Werribee is produced at Melbourne Water's Western Treatment Plant where it undergoes additional treatment to become Class A recycled water. The recycled water will then also undergo a special salt-reduction treatment so that it will suit most types of plants and the particular soil conditions in the Wyndham area.

  Following treatment, City West Water will supply the recycled water produced to housing estates through a separate purple recycled water pipe.

• How will this project benefit West Werribee housing estate residents?

  Recycled water is not subject to water restrictions. This means that residents connected to the recycled water supply will be able to use recycled water freely for watering gardens, washing cars and other appropriate outdoor uses that may otherwise be prohibited under drinking water restrictions.

• Who will get recycled water?

  Some of the housing estates that will benefit from the supply of recycled water include:

  • Manor Lakes - a Dennis Family Corporation development
  • Bluestone - a Sunland development
  • Riverwalk - a VicUrban development.

  Public amenities such as parks and open spaces, fountains and ornamental ponds will also benefit from the use of  recycled water.

• Why is City West Water taking so long to supply recycled water to my home in West Werribee?

  The project to supply recycled water to residents in the new housing estates of Bluestone Green, Manor Lakes and Riverwalk is a highly complex project that has been delayed, supply will now be in early 2013.

  There is a high salt content in recycled water in this part of Melbourne, which must have at least half the salt removed for sustainable garden use. Salt in sewage is caused by commercial and domestic inputs into the sewer system, as well as natural groundwater infiltration, which is more prevalent in the western suburbs with higher levels of saline underground water.
  
  This project began as part of a larger-scale water recycling project by Melbourne Water, but further investigation revealed this to be cost prohibitive. City West Water is now planning to construct our own, smaller, salt reduction treatment plant.

  While we appreciate this delay will be disappointing for customers, developers and the City of Wyndham, we would like to reassure them that City West Water is committed to providing homes recycled water for garden watering and toilet flushing. Around 1500 City West Water customers have already been connected with recycled water infrastructure, as it is far cheaper to install the infrastructure when developing the estate rather than trying to go back and do it later. When the whole project supply area has been fully developed 19,200 houses and approximately 143 hectares if open space will have the benefit of being connected to recycled water.

• What are City West Water's other alternative water projects?

  City West Water has a range of alternative water projects that have been completed or are currently under investigation/being developed including:

  • Altona Recycled Water Project - supplying recycled water to Industry, golf courses and public open spaces
  • Sunshine Golf Course Sewer Mining Project - supplying recycled water to Sunshine Golf Course
  • Stormwater Harvesting at various locations/customer's businesses
  • Sewer Mining Projects at Yarra Park, Flemington Racecourse and the MCG
  • Werribee Employment Precinct Recycled Water Scheme - supplying recycled water to customers and open spaces in Hoppers Crossing, Werribee and Point Cook

  See our fact sheets in the right hand column for further information.