When the Picton area was upgraded from septic tanks to sewerage, Sydney Water decided to buy Carlton Farm to recycle water from the Picton sewage treatment plant.
On its 280 hectares, the farm each day uses from 800,000 litres of reclaimed water in winter to approximately 4 million litres in summer to grow lucerne, rye, oats and clover. These feed crops were selected for their high water use.
Additionaly, 5 tonnes of biosolids generated by the sewage treatment plant are used to fertilise the crops and condition the soil twice a year.
