Week 3: Don’t understand recycled water? It’s nothing to flush about
5 June 2026
Most of us understand the importance of having access to safe and reliable drinking water, especially during dry conditions.
What’s less front of mind is how crucial alternative water sources are to a water-secure future. That’s where recycled water comes in.
So what is recycled water, what do we use it for, what are the different types and why does it matter now more than ever that we find new uses for it?
As part of this three-week series, Greater Western Water will be sharing some recycled water facts that may come to mind the next time you turn on the tap.
What else could recycled water be used for?
Last week we explored what some of the current uses for recycled water are. However, there are many possible uses for recycled water in the future, especially ones tied to water security outcomes.
One of the ways GWW is preparing for water security in the future is through our Urban Water Strategy (UWS), which we pull together every five years.
It describes our plans for providing safe, secure and resilient drinking water and sewerage services to the communities we serve, with a 50-year time horizon.
It helps us better understand and assess our ability to adapt to climate change and drier conditions, increases in population size and increased demand for water and sewer services across our region.
It also explores ways to reduce demand on our drinking water supplies, such as providing recycled water and stormwater for fit-for-purpose industrial use and irrigation of green spaces.
There are also opportunities on the horizon for recycled water to support environmental outcomes during dry periods.
Exploring the use of recycled water as a source of support for environmental flows, especially in water stressed parts of our service region, is something GWW is actively investigating.
Will we ever drink recycled water?
Advanced technologies already exist that can clean recycled water to Australian drinking water standards, producing what is called purified recycled water.
While not being considered for direct use in drinking water supplies, highly-treated purified recycled water is under consideration by the Victorian Government and water corporations as an option for topping up rivers, groundwater or reservoirs.
The start of this process involves cleaning the water at a recycled water plant via reverse osmosis, which is the same treatment used to make seawater drinkable at the Victorian Desalination Plant in Wonthaggi.
The cleaned water is then piped into rivers, streams or reservoirs to continue the water cycle, while being exposed to natural filtration systems.
From there, it is re-treated at a water filtration plant again before being delivered to households and businesses.
Purified recycled water is part of the water supply mix in over 35 cities around the world.
In Australia, purified recycled water already plays a role in supplementing drinking water supplies in parts of Western Australia while New South Wales, South Australia and Canberra are all exploring the role purified recycled water can play in their water systems.
Millions of people around the world drink recycled water every day, without issues. Astronauts on the International Space Station rely on it, Singapore uses it to meet almost a third of national demand, and Orange County in the US operates the world’s largest recycled water system.
It’s clear recycled water has a big part to play in all of our futures, including here at GWW.
