Planning Principles 512
Tutorial Presentation
Water and Wastewater
Proposal: Investigate Sustainable Urban Water Systems
Outline:
Will Western Australian water supply be able to keep up with increasing demand?
Western
Australian water use efficiencies can be improved thorough 3 key areas:
Reduce, reuse, recycle.
Reduce
Water is consumed by industry, agriculture and households. All of these sectors can reduce water use. At the local government level water use can be reduced by encouraging the use of drought tolerant verge treatments rather than reticulated “lawn”. Councils can also recycle green waste into mulch which reduces water requirements. Products such as cross-linked polymers can reduce agricultural water use by up to 30%.
Reuse
Previously in Western Australia it has been illegal to re-use household greywater to water gardens. Recently the government changed its position on this. There are problems with utilising greywater in gardens including increased phosphorous.
Recycle
Many local government authorities in Western Australia prohibit the use of domestic Wastewater recycling. One of the problems related to domestic Wastewater recycling is what to do with the water once it is recycled. The average household with a Wastewater treatment plant produces more water than is required to water their garden. What can be done to dispose of the excess treated water?
My tutorial presentation will examine Sustainable Urban Water Systems as an alternative to the traditional “Scheme water” and “infill sewerage”.
References:
http://www.biomax.com.au/ (Wastewater recycling)
Anda, M et al, 2002. ‘Opportunities for Onsite Water and Nutrient Reuse In Western Australia’. Environmental Technology Centre, Murdoch University. WA
http://www.manionplumbing.com.au/wastetreatment.html (Wastewater treatment plant)
http://www.ourwaterfuture.com.au (State water strategy, water use reduction, Water Reuse)
Building Innovation and Construction Technology Innovation: A New Perspective for Urban Water Systems, 1998, CSIRO.
Burn, L.S., Priestley, A.J. & Davis, R. 1998, ‘New concepts for the design of sustainable urban water systems’, Proc. AWWA/IWA Recoverable Resources Conf., Victoria, 7–9 May 1998, pp. 64–71.
Gee, K, 2002, ‘Putting the wise into water-wise gardening’, Greenworld, Australia. http://www.greenworldmag.com.au/article.asp?ArticleID=271
‘Breakthrough Polymer for Water Management Technology’, Turf News, May/June 1996, Sacramento, California, http://www.terawet.com/news_archives.htm