Recycled water

[mjscookie]

Hi. Just wondering if anyone has any info on this - you know where you drink your own (an others) processed faeces and urine and what ever else.

Will this have ramifications on US? I'm assuming treatment is going to be chemical intensive and would be interested in knowing what's added and how much.

Some one from Toowomba might be able to help us out.

Cheers Mitch

[ancalimon]

Well, technically all water on the planet is "recycled".

The only question that really needs to be asked is "Will the processing techniques ensure water is potable 100% of the time".

Normally potable water doesn't have any restrictions on undegradable human medicines ("the pill", other hormones, prozac etc).  Hence this could pass into the drinking water supply.  I doubt that it would but nonetheless it should be explored in the early stages of the debate.

The major problem that I have (having worked on lots of sewage treatment plants) is "What is planned when there is an outage, overflow or other event"?  Normally if there is an event, it just overflows....and the pertinent owner cops a fine from the EPA.  Not so good if going into the water supply.

But if all the above is considered and catered for, I don't see a problem in drinking recycled sewage.  After all, most of the water out of the the dams in the Brisbane Valley is effectively recycled cow poo :-)

caio
Graeme

[mjscookie]

hmm. I don't mind drinking recycled cow poo.

However, often seeing other people's floaters [how hard is it too flush] I'm not too keen on the idea.

I remember reading somewhere that Prozac is the only thing they cannot get out of UK recycled water.... Probably not a bad idea...

Now that's got me thinking, why are people working with all this transgenic tomato's for vaccine delivery, wouldn't the easiest [expensive though] way to do it was to dose our drinking water 3 monthly???

Furthermore, why can't they run a
normal line
and recycled line

wouldn't it make sense ? Normal gos to all "drinking outlets" recycled goes to landuary, shower, toliet etc? I mean, that (Alert admin) [Beattie] is building all these dams, why doesn't he make them "recycled only" and keep the current dams "clean"?

I think, if it ever comes in, I will be buying the biggest tank that can fit and paying to have it plumbed...

Just my 2c worth !!!

I know it's gone off topic a bit, but it would be really good to know what treatments are/have to be additionally added AND how that is going to affect fish keepers !!


Have a good rainy Friday afternoon

Mitch

[caryb]

Mitch, I find your comment offensive! I have some good friends who are (Alert admin)s & I wouldn't like them put in the same catagory as teflon pete :twisted:

[efc]

bring on the recycled water! Its only 5 years too late but it is a positive decision.

[pawal]

My understanding is that it is not going to be too chemically involved, but is rather going to work on RO (reverse osmosis)  similar to what many people are running for their tanks, only on a larger scale.  I imagine there will have to be some chemical intervention, but supposedly the RO system will negate the use for too many harsh chemicals.  Unfortunately I think it is a necessary evil to be using the recycled water, there is just not too many other viable options to ensuring a constant water supply for our ever increasing populace.

[ndoboi]

I'll be voting for it tomorrow here in Toowoomba. All the legit studies show that it will be too pure for drinking water after treatment (it is treated to kidney dialysis standard - pure H2O) and it will be released back into the dams to dilute it down to potable.
For sure it will be cleaner than what's coming out of the taps at the moment and better than the other options - Coal seam water (chemicals and salinity issues), Buy back from irrigation (dont the farmers need the water to provide us with food... + it's water that technically doesnt even exist..), Water tanks on all houses (need rain for that one to work, and most houses have them anyway..) and, my favourite, a 'short' 40km pipeline to Wivenhoe (so we can steal YOUR water, which BTW is down to 28% anyway and will probably end up being recycled too...).
It's a very emotive subject here in Toowoomba - "poo water" is the cry and im betting that the recycling will be defeated at the vote because of emotion, not reason.

My rant.
Steve

[nemo1981]

as long as it's done right, who cares.
but i do agree with the question of what happens if the process fails, and raw sewage gets pumped in the dam.

i dunno, but things are dire, something is going to have to happen and soon.

i reckon we should reverse the flow of the pipeline stealing water from wivenhoe for the Gold Coast :twisted:  and steal back our water, see how ron clark likes that :lol:

[braddo]

Personally I think Australia should take a page out of israels book after all they are one of the dryest country in the world and they don't have a water shortage problem. THey use desalination for drinking and recycled for all other uses they also have one of the best goldfish farms in the world in the middle of the desert. Justt a chuck in from this balck duck.

[ndoboi]

[quote:e55eb12456="nemo1981"]as long as it's done right, who cares.
but i do agree with the question of what happens if the process fails, and raw sewage gets pumped in the dam.

i dunno, but things are dire, something is going to have to happen and soon.

i reckon we should reverse the flow of the pipeline stealing water from wivenhoe for the Gold Coast :twisted:  and steal back our water, see how ron clark likes that :lol:[/quote:e55eb12456]

It's not 'raw sewerage' going through the system, but treated sewerage - as is released into rivers now. It's just getting treated further. There is no greater risk of raw sewerage entering the system than already exists.

Cheers
Steve

[ancalimon]

[quote:547882bcc7="ndoboi"]
It's not 'raw sewerage' going through the system, but treated sewerage - as is released into rivers now. It's just getting treated further. There is no greater risk of raw sewerage entering the system than already exists.
[/quote:547882bcc7]

I must admit I am not sure exactly of Toowoomba's current setup, but when I commissed Wurtella Stg 2, the retention ponds were undersized.  So raw sewerage flowed into that creek there off Old Goombungi (sp?) Rd.  Moral is, if this flows into the water storage collection point, then yes, raw sewage (not sewerage) can get into the "system".

Brisbane's case is different as the treated wastewater will be pumped up to the storages.  Hence if there is a failure (for whatever reason) pumps will stop, ponds will flow, overflows go into the Bay rather than into water storages.  QED, no poo in the water :-)

Raw sewage overflows in "events" (ie/ power outages) is a problem in lots of areas, particularly as most councils (and voters) don't like the concept of a dam that may potentially be full of stinky water.

caio
Graeme

[GTR73]

As far as fish keeping goes, I think we'll end up with better water quality coming outta the tap compared to now.
For starters, they'll hopefully use less chlorine than they do presently.

[ndoboi]

[quote:b22da8944f="ancalimon"][quote:b22da8944f="ndoboi"]
It's not 'raw sewerage' going through the system, but treated sewerage - as is released into rivers now. It's just getting treated further. There is no greater risk of raw sewerage entering the system than already exists.
[/quote:b22da8944f]

I must admit I am not sure exactly of Toowoomba's current setup, but when I commissed Wurtella Stg 2, the retention ponds were undersized.  So raw sewerage flowed into that creek there off Old Goombungi (sp?) Rd.  Moral is, if this flows into the water storage collection point, then yes, raw sewage (not sewerage) can get into the "system".

Brisbane's case is different as the treated wastewater will be pumped up to the storages.  Hence if there is a failure (for whatever reason) pumps will stop, ponds will flow, overflows go into the Bay rather than into water storages.  QED, no poo in the water :-)

Raw sewage overflows in "events" (ie/ power outages) is a problem in lots of areas, particularly as most councils (and voters) don't like the concept of a dam that may potentially be full of stinky water.

caio
Graeme[/quote:b22da8944f]

Fair enough, good info Graeme. Thanks.

Steve

[nemo1981]

yeh that's what i meant, treated sewerage but you get the idea.

desalination is the way to go, beats me why the government didn't start it years ago, i mean look at the middle east they all do it, and plenty of water to around.

[here fishie fishie]

The Gold Coast are looking at the desalination option at the moment. A rig is set up at Tugun I believe. It is a dearer option than recycling.
But I believe the Gold Coast Council/ with State Government, will do what it likes, not what is cheapest or best option. Tourism has a big pull here, look at the shark nets for example.
So if the Toowoomba vote comes back as a marjority can't stomach the idea of recycled water & the thought tourists might not like the idea too. I believe the Gold Coast anyway will go for desalination.
Whats the other option, a very long pipe run up to the tropics?

I find it funny that something as important as water is so poorly managed by the authorities.

Frenchy :D