Water Use and Reuse Stream Projects

Investigation of techniques to better manage Western Australia's non-potable water resources - Premier's Water Foundation project

Introduction

The continuing drying climate in WA has meant that alternatives to potable water supplies must be investigated to ensure the long term sustainability of our water resources. The use of non-potable* water on a fit-for-purpose basis is an effective mechanism to reduce the pressure on depleting water resources.

This three-year, $2.32 million project will monitor the water quantity and quality of the Southern River catchment in Perth; factors influencing residential precinct use of non-potable water; and assess how best management practices (BMPs) can enable better use of non-potable water resources.

*Non-potable water is water that is not of drinking quality.

Objectives/Scope

CSIRO Land and Water scientist Dr Olga Barron taking a sample of water from a wetland in the Brookdale area of Southern River catchment

The project aims to investigate techniques to better manage WA's non-potable water resources to deliver water services which recognise the environmental and social value of water in a residential development setting. This will include examining ways of:

• facilitating the reduction of potable water use and maximising urban water reuse
• remediating pollution from diffuse sources and addressing legacy issues
• determining the actual risk to public health and the environment.

The project will also facilitate on-the-ground testing of a series of design principles for urban developments in Perth which were formulated involving technical specialists from around Australia.

The technical objectives of the project are to:

1. Assess the quality and quantity of groundwater and stormwater available for fit-for-purpose uses within the South Eastern Corridor of Metropolitan Perth.
2. Determine how this water can be used in an environmentally responsible manner.
3. Examine the reasons behind the social acceptance or rejection of fit-for-purpose use of stormwater and groundwater, particularly at the household scale.
4. Analyse the economics relating to community willingness-to-pay for the supply of these waters.
5. Assist in the development of policy principles and specifications relating to fit-for-purpose uses of non-potable waters within the community.

Activities

Project activities are structured around four major work packages:

Work package 1: Regional (catchment) level

• Establishment and maintenance of the multi-agency data base, providing opportunity to develop a centralised data bank to optimise development of the Regional Water Management Strategy;
• Design the monitoring network to support evaluation of the water resources within the catchment and evaluation of the BMPs' effectiveness within the precinct level, preferably on the real-time observation basis; and
• Predictive modelling addressing groundwater and urban water issues in the Southern River catchment.

Work package 2: Precinct level

• Investigate water efficiency measures and their integration into a selected new urban residential development.

Work package 3: Best Management Practices (BMPs)

• Identify a suite of viable BMPs for different types of urban landscape and adapt them to local conditions.

Work package 4: Public acceptance of alternative urban water management

• Identify the key drivers that shape community acceptance and expectations for integrated water systems at the regional and precinct level;
• Work with multidisciplinary project partners to develop a limited set of sustainable water system options, including a fit-for-purpose non-potable water scheme;
• Measure community trust in, perceived risks of, and preferences for, fit-for-purpose water supplies;
• Provide a benefit-cost analysis of socially acceptable alternative fit-for-purpose water sources including an analysis of the communities willingness to pay for supply of good quality non-potable water resources; and
• Develop a community education package to facilitate effective communication about integrated water supply systems.

Key Staff

Simon Toze, Olga Barron, Deborah Reed, Simon Higginson, Tony Barr, Daniel Pollock, Trish Lambert, Warrick Dawes, Declan Page, Natasha Porter.

Partners

This Water for a Healthy Country Flagship project is a partnership between CSIRO Land and Water and the Water Corporation in Western Australia, with funding from the Premier's Water Foundation.

Timeline

August 2005 - August 2008

Links (external)

• CSIRO National Flagship Water for Healthy Country
• Western Australia Premiers Water Foundation
• eWater CRC

The water quality of the Wungong River in the Southern River catchment is being monitored as part of the CSIRO research