National risk assessment
Project details
| Objective: | To build on international and national experience in assessing and communicating the risk associated with recycled water for drinking and environmental release. |
| Funding: | Up to $1.015 million plus applicable GST from the Australian Government to the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment and Water Quality Research Australia. The total value of the project is up to $2.175 m. |
| Jurisdiction: | National |
| Commenced: | December 2007 |
| Completion: | December 2010 |
Progress
About the project
The project builds on international and national experience in assessing and communicating the risk associated with recycled water for drinking and environmental release. It builds on the Recycled Water Quality Standards project completed by Uniquest under the Raising National Water Standards program.
The Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment and Water Quality Research Australia will adapt an existing 'toolbox' developed by the Global Water Research Coalition and apply this suite of biological assays and chemical analysis to wastewater discharged from specific sewage treatment facilities in Victoria, ACT, Queensland and New South Wales.
These advanced monitoring tools accurately assess the quality of recycled water, allowing better risk management in recycled water systems. This provides an increased level of certainty for potential consumers of recycled water including for drinking purposes. It seeks to identify the range of chemicals found in recycled water and explores the various methods available to treat the water to a drinking water standard.
The project assists the development of more accurate risk assessment models and provides a framework for hazard assessment critical control point programs as part of the Phase 2 National Water Quality Guidelines.
Project partners include the University of NSW and the National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology as well as the organizations directly involved in the investigations which include Melbourne Water, Sydney Water, ACTEW (ACT), WA Department of Water, United Water, AWQC (SA Water) and Queensland Health Scientific Services-all of whom have offered provisional funding and/or in-kind support for the project.
Project benefits
The National Water Initiative calls for the provision of healthy, safe and reliable water supplies and encourages the reuse and recycling of wastewater where it is cost effective. This work contributes to these objectives by providing assurances to the community and regulators that by using sound science we can adequately assess and communicate risk through technology transfer and public information processes.
The availability of these tools will increase the confidence of water utilities and legislators in testing the quality of different types of water such as sewage, river, tap and recycled water.