From July, Ballina Shire Council will supply both recycled wastewater and drinking water to properties through a dual-reticulated water system.
In what is believed to be the first system of its kind for regional NSW, almost 80 new houses at Lennox Head will have their recycled wastewater hooked up under the $85 million Ballina-Lennox Head Recycled Water Masterplan.
Households will have recycled water available for flushing toilets, the cold water laundry tap, washing pets, cars, bikes and boats, and for irrigating
gardens and crops, in addition to potable water.
Ballina Shire Council’s Water and Wastewater Manager, Tim Mackney, says the project will place the council at the forefront of the country’s recycled water technology in regional NSW.
“We are in the extraordinary position of saying that Ballina Shire Council will soon have the biggest recycled water service in regional NSW,” Mackney says.
“In the first phase of the program, 77 houses in Lennox Head are set to benefit from the delivery of dual recycled and drinking water services in July.
“From there, we will roll-out the program to more than 600 new households in Ballina, East Ballina, and Cumbalum.”
Mackney says the delivery of recycled water for local household uses will change the way the community thinks about water.
“We are not just going to think about using water for household purposes but recycling it to ensure sustainable water supplies for future generations," he says.
Selected agricultural properties, sports fields and commercial premises in the Shire are already trialling recycled water.
In Sydney, recycled water makes up almost 12% of supply, with 125 million litres recycled everyday. 18,000 homes and businesses in the Rouse Hill area have a dual reticulation system.