1100 homes to use recycled water in washing machines

Recycled water will be used in washing machines in a South Australian regional coastal development.

The Point Boston Peninsula development, adjacent to Port Lincoln on Eyre Peninsula, is a South Australian test case for water recycling. It is the first project in the state and one of the first in Australia to come under the new national guidelines.

Mains water, which comes from the Uley Basin on which the Port Lincoln area and other Eyre Peninsula towns depend, will only be used when necessary to supplement about 10% of household requirements.

Instead, in a closed loop-type system, householders will harvest rainwater and use highly treated recycled water for washing machines, flushing and outside for gardening, landscaping and firefighting.

The development minimises external pipework and saves on energy and CO₂ emissions by not having to pump water great distances.

Sewage will be treated on each property by small Biolytix Wastewater Systems, of which the first six have just been installed. This 'ecosystem in a tank' copies how the rainforest floor breaks down waste. It does not need mechanical blowers and large air pumps, enabling it to reduce energy use by up to 90% compared to most conventional systems.

The water is then pumped from each household to a central polishing plant within the development where it is further treated and stored.

The $400m development will have 1100 houses and approximately 2500 people.

Dean Cameron, a futurist and the Biolytix inventor, said: “Decentralised sewage can reduce costs by up to 50%. Nearly half of new sewerage infrastructure in America is now decentralised. It is the most energy- and water-efficient method. It is the way of the future.”