ORANGE does not have to look far for an example of recycled water use, with Parkes Shire Council already leading the region in reusing sewage.
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With discussions considering effluent reuse and a motion on the way at Orange City Council to investigate the matter, Parkes council infrastructure technical manager Julian Fyfe said its system was commissioned in October and was now in the process of connecting to end users.
The integrated water cycle management system will connect irrigation water to the golf and jockey clubs, which have historically used treated effluent, with council parks and gardens also to benefit.
With only two megalitres of effluent produced a day, Mr Fyfe said irrigation needs would be supplemented with bore water.
"But we save up to two megalitres of drinking water a day," he said.
I've had feedback that it makes perfect sense and it should have been done 20 years ago.
- Parkes Shire Council infrastructure technical manager Julian Fyfe
Mr Fyfe said the council started with a target to reuse its effluent in 2005, but it took until 2014 to apply for a grant to put plans into place.
Water goes through sludge filters and clarifiers before passing into a covered holding lagoon where it undergoes ultraviolet disinfection.
Provision has been made to progress to drinking water in the future, but Mr Fyfe said extra capacity would be needed.
A separate pipe was put in place to handle the recycled water and Mr Fyfe said smart meters were also installed to monitor how much organisations used.
"If they use their allocation or it's raining, we can close that valve," he said.
Mr Fyfe said the system would become invaluable, with changes to the council's allocation from the Lachlan River expected within the next month.
"I've had feedback that it makes perfect sense and it should have been done 20 years ago," he said.
Endeavour and Metcalfe dams have a combined storage of just 2.9 gigalitres and while the bore fields are secure, Mr Fyfe said it was unclear what effect raising the wall at Wyangala Dam might have on groundwater recharge.
The third phase of the project allowing third-party users to connect to the network, has not yet begun.
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