Water Recycling Scenarios for Melbourne
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Green Paper Technical Paper No.1 Water Recycling Scenarios for Melbourne September 2003 Securing Our Water Future This report has been prepared by the Department of Sustainability and Environment and the four metropolitan water businesses – Melbourne Water, City West Water, South East Water and Yarra Valley Water. Its production has been managed by a Steering Committee consisting of representatives from these businesses and the Department of Sustainability and Environment. Department of Sustainability and Environment PO Box 500, East Melbourne Victoria 3002 © State of Victoria, Department of Sustainability and Environment 2003 ISBN 1 74106 674 3 This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Find out more information about DSE on the internet at www.dse.vic.gov.au Green Paper Technical Paper No.1 Water Recycling Scenarios for Melbourne September 2003 2 How to have your say The Government is releasing Water Recycling Scenarios for Melbourne for a period of public review and comment as part of the Water Review’s Green Paper consultation process. The initial comment period, up to 31 October 2003 is to give all interested parties the chance to comment or make a submission on Water Recycling Scenarios for Melbourne. In particular, Government is interested to hear your opinion on the scenarios within the report. We need to understand issues such as: • Do you consider the scenarios to be feasible and viable? • Are there any other benefits and costs that need to be considered in any of the scenarios? • Are there other scenarios that Government should be considering? • What role do you consider that the scenarios should play in future sustainable water resources management for Melbourne? Comments or submissions on the Technical Paper Water Recycling Scenarios for Melbourne and specific feedback on its content should be submitted to the Department of Sustainability and Environment by 31 October 2003 and should be lodged on the website or directed to: Project Manager – Technical Paper No. 1, Water Sector Development Group Department of Sustainability and Environment PO Box 500 East Melbourne Victoria 3002 Submissions In order to ensure the integrity of the consultative process, you are asked to provide your name and address with your submission. Unfortunately we will not be able to accept submissions which do not include this information. However, all personal identifying information will be removed after it is received if that is your request. If this is the case, or there are any other parts of your submission that you wish to treat confidentially, please make this clear in your submission Water Recycling Scenarios for Melbourne 3 Contents How to have your say 2 Foreword 5 Introduction 6 Melbourne’s water infrastructure 10 Background 10 Melbourne’s potable water supply system 12 Melbourne’s sewerage system 13 Melbourne’s stormwater system 14 Melbourne’s groundwater system 15 Integration of water systems 16 Recycled water schemes in Melbourne 18 Scenario Analysis 22 Potable Substitution Scenarios 23 Scenario 1 – Retrofit third pipe system throughout Melbourne 23 Scenario 2 – Third pipe systems in new growth areas 25 Scenario 3 – Target existing high volume water users 28 Scenario 4 – Mandated recycled water use in proximity of treatment plants 31 Scenario 5 – Placing recycled water into potable water supply system 34 Scenario 6 – Placing recycled water into potable water supply system and increase the use of bottled water for drinking 36 Scenario 7 – Sewer mining 38 Scenario 8 – Use of greywater 40 Economic Development Scenarios 42 Scenario 9 – Werribee Plains (Balliang) 42 Scenario 10 – Eastern Irrigation Scheme, Cranbourne-Koo Wee Rup Corridor 45 Environmental Scenarios 47 Scenario 11 – Thomson River Environmental Flows 48 Scenario 12 – Werribee River Environmental Flows 50 Scenario 13 – Pumping Melbourne’s recycled water north of divide - option 1 52 Scenario 14 – Pumping Melbourne’s recycled water north of divide – option 2 54 Other Potential Water Source Scenarios 56 Scenario 15 – Stormwater harvesting 58 Scenario 16 – Increased utilisation of rainwater tanks 60 Scenario 17 – Utilisation of storm water to reduce salinity in sewage flows to WTP 63 Scenario 18 – Desalination 64 Scenario 19 – Aquifer storage and recovery 65 References 67 Glossary 68 4 To deliver maximum benefits from water recycling in the long term, the Government has been exploring a range of scenarios for the Melbourne region which vary considerably in scale and scope. It is important to think broadly at this stage to make sure that we explore and obtain community feedback on a diverse range of possibilities. Water Recycling Scenarios for Melbourne 5 Minister’s Foreword In my Ministerial Statement Valuing Victoria’s Water – Securing Victoria’s Future, I announced that a Green Paper would be prepared that would provide a framework for consultation with the community and industry so that the next round of water reform is well founded and enjoys broad support. The Green Paper Securing Our Water Future has now been released for public comment. A key strategy in the Green Paper is to substitute This report, released in conjunction with the drinking water with alternative water resources, such Green Paper, provides the reader with a high level as recycled water from sewerage systems, rainwater understanding of Melbourne’s water systems, the collected in rainwater tanks, urban stormwater current status of water recycling, a snapshot of the runoff and greywater, for non-potable uses. Several water recycling scenarios considered, with new initiatives are proposed, and current initiatives information about economic, environmental and extended, to promote and encourage increased use social benefits and costs. of these resources. Your feedback on these scenarios will help guide the Regional Victoria recycles about one third, and Government in the future development of water Melbourne less than 5 percent (not including treatment recycling in the region. process recycling), of their respective treated sewage effluent. There is only limited recycling of rainwater, greywater and stormwater. However, the water industry, regionally and in Melbourne, is pursuing many water recycling opportunities and projects. The next 18 months will see many important milestones reached in the development of the use of recycled water and other alternative water resources and the management and utilisation of water resources in Victoria. John Thwaites MP To deliver maximum benefits from water recycling in the long term, the Government has been exploring a Minister for Water range of scenarios for the Melbourne region which vary considerably in scale and scope. It is important to think broadly at this stage to make sure that we explore and obtain community feedback on a diverse range of possibilities. Some scenarios are currently undergoing feasibility assessment, and for most, this is the first high level analysis. 6 Introduction Introduction Valuing Victoria's Water – Securing Victoria's Future: Minister's Statement The State Government recognises that water recycling has a key role to play in sustainable water resource management and is promoting greater recycling in the urban environment throughout Victoria. In particular, a target of 20 percent recycling of Melbourne’s ‘waste’ water by 2010 has been established. On 10 April 2003, the Minister for Water announced a Where we are today new agenda for sustainable water management to Regional Victoria recycles about one third of its treated support sustainable rural industries, healthy rivers and sewage and Melbourne currently recycles approximately floodplains, and growth in towns and cities. This 30,000 ML per annum (including on site process challenge is to be met by: recycling) which is about 10 percent of treated sewage. >> protecting water flows in rivers, waterways and However, this is less than 5 percent with on-site groundwater systems; process recycling not included (2001/02 figures). The >> Reducing our use of pure drinking water and greatly water industry in Melbourne is pursuing many water increasing the use of recycled and reclaimed water recycling opportunities and projects. The next eighteen for irrigation, industrial and urban use; months will see many important milestones in the development of water recycling and the management >> Investing in efficient irrigations systems to lift and utilisation of water resources in Victoria. production with less water; and >> better catchment management — recognising that The need for a strategic approach to water supply, river and farm management, sewerage, water recycling re-use of water, drainage, coastal protection and The water strategy for Melbourne titled 21st Century flood control are linked and part of one system. Melbourne: A WaterSmart City referred to in this paper The Minister also announced that a Green Paper would as the Water Resources Strategy (Water Resources be prepared which would provide a framework for Strategy Committee, 2002) identified a target of 13,000 consultation with the community and industry so that ML/year of potable water replacement within 50 years the next round of water reform is well founded and from installation of rainwater tanks and water recycling enjoys broad support. The Green Paper Securing our initiatives. The target is to assist in achieving the policy Water Future (DSE, 2003) has now been released for of no new dams for Melbourne. The need for a strategic, public comment. holistic planning approach to water recycling is required to deliver greater value for money in relation to triple A key strategy in the Green Paper is to substitute bottom line benefits if a sustainable water industry is to drinking water with alternative water resources such as develop in Melbourne in the 21st Century. recycled water from sewerage systems, rainwater collected in rainwater tanks, urban stormwater runoff About this report and greywater.