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Recycling Water For Irrigating

Keeping it green

Using recycled water to irrigate sports fields and parks (PDF - 501KB)

Irrigating with recycled water saves drinking water

Irrigating with recycled water is a cost effective way to save our precious drinking water either directly or indirectly.

In some cases recycled water directly replaces the use of drinking water for irrigating. In cases where irrigators had been using river water, drinking water is saved indirectly, as more water is left in rivers for drinking purposes.

In greater Sydney more than 1.7 billion litres of treated wastewater were treated and recycled by Sydney Water in 2005-06 to irrigate farms, golf courses, sportsgrounds, parks and a racecourse.

Forecast yearly water use (ML)
Farms	Forecast yearly use (ML)
Gerringong-Gerroa Aorangi Farm Environment Protection Society Gerringong Sewage Treatment Plant grounds	150
Carlton Farm, Picton	419

Parks and Sportsgrounds
Hickeys Lane Reserve sportsgrounds, Penrith *	8.43
Warwick Farm Racecourse	132
University of Western Sydney Richmond parks and grounds	518

Golf Courses
Ashlar Golf Club	145
Castle Hill Country Club	152
Dunheved Golf Club	151
Kiama Golf Club	100
Liverpool Golf Club	81
Richmond Golf Club	109

* Penrith Council irrigates four sites from March 2007

More schemes underway

Further recycled water irrigation schemes are being developed.

The upgrade of the West Camden Sewage Treatment Plant will supply almost 2 billion litres per year of high quality treated wastewater from 2007 for irrigating turf, lucerne crops and dairy grazing at the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute. This will help to improve the health of the Nepean River by reducing the amount of water extracted and quantity of nutrients discharged into the river. Camden Council is also planning to connect to this scheme to irrigate sporting fields at Ron Dine Reserve & Hayter Reserve.
By 2009 the Hoxton Park Recycled Water Scheme will provide recycled water for irrigation, including to Ingleburn Industrial Park, Forest Lawn Cemetery and three new golf courses as well as residential areas.
Construction of a scheme at Ropes' Crossing will provide recycled water for the grounds of the Dunheved Industrial Estate.
Sewer mining for irrigation purposes is also planned for Pennant Hills Golf Course and Beverley Park Golf Course with schemes to be in place by late 2007/early 2008.