• Skip to content
  • Skip to navigation
  • About us
  • Make a payment
  • Accessibility
  • News
  • Publications
  • Contact Us
Government of Western Australia Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
Go to Minister for Water
Go to whole of WA Government search
Home Show Sub Nav
Planning for the future Show Sub Nav
Finding water

Finding new water resources, including Royalties for Regions-funded programs and other drilling programs to explore resources across the state.

Water allocation plans

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Rural water support

Click here to apply for rebates and grants for farmers, pastoralists and rural communities to improve local water supplies and for information about assistance to help farmers access water during dry seasons.

Flood planning and mapping

Information, advice and management of flood plans based on flood behaviour research and floodplain mapping for the state's major rivers.

Water and land use planning

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Meeting demand

Information about how we work with government, water service providers, industry and communities to identify water demand management and supply options that enable sustainable water use.

Licensing Show Sub Nav
Water licensing Water Licensing

Licences and how to apply, licensing policies, forms to download and answers to questions frequently asked by current and prospective licensees.

Water trading Water Trading

Find out who is eligible to trade water entitlements and how applications are assessed. Click here to identify potential trading partners from the Water Register.

Metering and measurement

Metering and measuring the water you take helps you understand your water usage to make the most of your entitlements and reduce your overall costs.

Water licensing fees

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Legislation Show Sub Nav
Current legislation

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au .

Water reform

We are updating our policy and legislation to deliver water resource management legislation that is flexible, progressive and capable of managing water today and in the future.

Urban water Show Sub Nav
Water services Water Services

Legislation and policy for Western Australia’s water service providers.

Urban development Urban Development

Planning and managing water to enable growing, liveable water smart towns and cities.

Recycling and efficiency Recycling

Information about wastewater recycling, water efficiencies and the use of fit-for-purpose water. Recycling is encouraged whenever it is socially, economically and environmentally acceptable to make smart use of waste water for the ongoing development of the State.

Bores Domestic Garden Watering

For information on groundwater, garden bores and waterwise gardens please visit our Be Groundwater Wise website. You can find questions and answers about garden bores,

Drinking water Mundaring Weir

Protecting and managing public drinking water source areas including policies relating to public drinking water source areas, water source protection plans, water quality strategies and management and review processes.

Water topics Show Sub Nav
Groundwater Ground Water

Information on the state’s groundwater resources, locations, investigations, aquifer recharge and sustainable management of water resources, including an overview of state groundwater investigations.

Surface water Surface Water

Surface water, like rivers and streams used for public water supply, self-supply, irrigation, recreation and hydropower and rainfall and streamflow monitoring, catchment modelling and flood studies to manage surface water.

Water quality Water Quality

Click here for information about water quality, including public drinking water source areas, salinity, brochures, fact sheets and best management practices for various land uses and activities to help protect water quality and public health.

Waterways Rivers and Estuaries

Rivers and estuaries and their importance including information on monitoring and assessing waterways, protecting, understanding, planning, restoring, and risks and threats.

Estuaries

There are 166 estuaries in Western Australia as established through the National Land and Water Resources Audit (NLWRA) 2000, where an estuary is defined as

Onshore petroleum and water resources 5.6 Shale_and_tight_gas.jpg

Information on the department’s role in relation to the shale and tight gas industry.

Maps & data Show Sub Nav
Maps

Monitoring and data

Main
  • Home
  • Urban water
  • Recycling and efficiency
  • Waterwise community toolkit
  • Wastewater
  • Water services
  • Urban development
  • Recycling and efficiency
    • Water efficiency
    • Water recycling
    • Non-drinking water systems
    • Waterwise community toolkit
      • Non-drinking water sources
      • Wastewater
      • Greywater
      • Rainwater
      • Stormwater harvesting
    • Waterwise Council Program
    • Waterwise golf course program
    • Managed aquifer recharge
    • Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) Scheme
  • Bores
  • Drinking water
Share
  • facebook iconFacebook
  • twitter iconTwitter
  • email iconEmail

Wastewater

Wastewater is the used water from households and business that is disposed of through the sewerage network (or into septic tanks in some areas). Wastewater is 99.97 per cent water as the majority is sourced from showers, baths and washing machines. The remainder is dissolved and suspended matter.

Treated wastewater is discharged from a wastewater treatment facility after it has passed through treatment processes to reduce its nutrient and bio-chemical load.

This can provide a secure and sustainable source of water that is climate-resilient unlike 'traditional' water supply options. Further treatment may be required, depending on the intended use, if treated wastewater is considered as a non-drinking water source option.

General considerations

The viability of a wastewater reuse system will depend on factors including:

  • availability and intended uses, estimated demand and back-up (contingency) water source
  • required level of treatment for intended uses
  • management of health and environmental risks
  • site limitations, including proximity to public drinking water source areas or to conservation category wetlands
  • land requirements for infrastructure and storage (below or above ground)
  • cost of implementation and ongoing management of the scheme
  • governance issues surrounding long-term ownership, operation and management
  • community awareness and acceptance
  • required approvals.

In some proclaimed public drinking water source areas irrigation with treated wastewater is considered an incompatible land use. The Department of Water's regional offices can provide further information on the location of public drinking water source areas and on the land-use compatibility within these areas.

Availability

The volume of wastewater available for recycling will increase with population growth. Consequently, wastewater recycling is an important and significant fit-for-purpose water supply option.

Treated wastewater from wastewater treatment plants

Wastewater reuse is likely to be most economical in the vicinity of an existing wastewater treatment facility, after it has had its nutrient, biochemical and pathogen loads reduced. Further treatment may be required depending on the intended end use.

Sewer mining

Sewer mining involves extracting and treating wastewater for use, before it reaches the wastewater treatment plant. Sewer mining is a complex option requiring the construction of a local wastewater treatment facility, such as a membrane bio-reactor, to treat the raw wastewater to fit-for-purpose quality, storing and delivering the recycled water to the end-user and managing residuals.

For more information, availability and conditions of using wastewater from existing treatment plants or via sewer mining visit the Water Corporation's H2Options website which includes a water balance calculation tool and useful factsheets.

Supply and storage options

Irrigating public open space

Treated wastewater can provide a climate-resilient water source for the irrigation of parks, public gardens and golf courses, especially where the potential reuse site is in the vicinity of an existing wastewater treatment plant. Alternatively, access to untreated wastewater from a sewer mains could be considered, which will require on-site treatment by the proponent. Both options require adequate storage, and distribution and irrigation infrastructure.

Subject to availability, the Water Corporation will provide treated wastewater for community benefit free-of-charge at the wastewater treatment plant boundary. With relevant environmental and health approvals, this water could be used to irrigate public open spaces, parks, ovals and recreation areas. The proponent –a developer or local government – will need to pay for any additional treatment, piping and transport costs.

In regional Western Australia, irrigating public open space with treated wastewater is common practice and has provided a cost-effective irrigation and wastewater disposal option for many years, while maintaining outdoor lifestyle and amenity.

Community-scale (third pipe) recycled water systems

Treated wastewater from a water recycling plant is transported via a third pipe (purple) scheme to multiple users for watering lawns and gardens and for in-house non-drinking uses, such as toilet flushing and the cold water tap in laundries. The scheme can include irrigation of public open space within the community. This is most viable in new urban developments where the required pipelines can be installed together with other below-ground infrastructure.

Service provider requirements

Third pipe schemes require a water service provider and, depending on the scale of the operation, the provider will require either a licence to operate the scheme under the Water Services Act 2012 or need to apply for an exemption from licensing. Contact the department's Water Industry Policy for initial advice whether the proposed service would qualify for a water services licensing exemption and on the process for obtaining an exemption.

A developer needs to consider who will own, operate and maintain the non-drinking water scheme now and in the future to ensure that it is sustainable. It is recommended that a developer identifies and consults with the preferred water service provider early in the planning process. All personnel involved in the operation of a non-drinking water system need to have the appropriate skills and training to undertake their responsibilities to ensure a long-term safe and reliable management of the system.

In accordance with the Water Services Act 2012, all persons providing water, sewerage, drainage or irrigation services in Western Australia must either obtain a water services operating licence from the Economic Regulation Authority (ERA) or an exemption from the licensing requirement from the Governor, provided it is not contrary to the public interest.

More information on water service licensing and exemptions is provided here and on the Economic Regulation Authority's website.

Aerobic Treatment Units for single households in unsewered areas

Aerobic Treatment Units (ATUs) are a more advanced alternative to conventional septic tanks and provide an improved quality of wastewater treatment for single dwellings in unsewered areas. ATUs must be approved by the Department of Health and inspected by the local government. A permit to use the apparatus is issued by the local government prior to its use. The chlorinated effluent from ATUs may be used to surface irrigate garden areas but can only be used below grassed areas. It is not approved for any use in vegetable gardens.

A Code of Practice, a list of approved ATUs and required application forms and guidelines are available from the Department of Health website.

Managed aquifer recharge

There is growing interest in opportunities to inject or infiltrate treated wastewater, sourced either from wastewater treatment plants or sewer mining, into an aquifer for later abstraction to irrigate public open space, horticulture or for other reuse. However, managed aquifer recharge may not be feasible on all sites, due to hydrogeological, environmental or cost limitations.

For more information see the department's managed aquifer recharge information.

Related information

Department of Health: Guidelines for the Non-potable Uses of Recycled Water in Western Australia (2011) are based on the Australian Guidelines and assist proponents with the requirements in getting a recycled water system approved.

Department of Health: Code of Practice for the Design, Manufacture, Installation and Operation of AerobicTreatment Units (ATUs) (2001) and additional guidelines for water recycling in unsewered areas.

Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council, Environment Protection and Heritage Council, Australian Health Ministers https://www.wa.gov.au/service/environment/business-and-community-assistance/managed-aquifer-rechargeConference (2006 and 2008)

Page last updated - 07 Apr 2015
Return to top of page
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation was established by the Government of Western Australia on 1 July 2017. It is a result of the amalgamation of the Department of Environment Regulation, Department of Water and the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority. This website/publication may contain references to previous government departments and programs. Please contact the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation to clarify any specific information.

WA.gov.au
FOR MORE NEWS ON WA WATER
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR RSS
All content copyright © Government of Western Australia. All rights reserved.
  • Home
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • -->