Comments by Melbourne Water on potable reuse ....

Comments by Melbourne Water:

March 2006

"No single technology is foolproof, and potable reuse is not a silver bullet. It should be considered alongside other water conservation measures and alternative sources."

"New compounds are being invented and discovered every day and understanding the health implications of thousands of chemicals and emerging pathogens is an enormous and ongoing scientific challenge."

"Communities tend to turn to potable reuse only after other options for securing drinking water supplies have been exhausted."

"This is not the case for Melbourne", says Melita Stevens, Manager of Water Quality Research for Melbourne Water.

"There are many other things we would do before we would consider putting recycled effluent back into the supply," she says. "We don’t need now, or in the short or medium term, to turn to potable reuse."

"Melbourne draws most of its exceptionally high quality water from protected, forested catchments. Mixing this water with reclaimed, treated effluent would negate the purpose of having protected catchments."

See - The Source, Melbourne Water - March 2006.