Hormones in Victorian Treated Sewage Effluent
As one of its Water Conservation and Recycling Strategic Research Initiatives, through the Smart Water Fund, the VWT funded a project entitled "Hormones in Victorian Treated Sewage Effluent". This project aimed to reduce social and technical barriers to increased water recycling by assessing the range of hormonal activity and endocrine disrupting chemicals in recycled water and effluent from wastewater treatment plants, discharging to Victorian freshwaters. The project also aimed to provide the water industry with information on the most effective treatment models for removal of endocrine-disrupting chemicals from sewage effluent.
The study found lower estrogenic activity in Victorian treated sewage effluent than that reported in the northern hemisphere, and similar to that reported in recent Australian and New Zealand studies. It was concluded that estrogen levels in Victorian wastewater treatment plants are likely to be low, however the levels of estrogenic activity are likely to be an environmental risk if the wastewater treatment plant discharge represents a major component of the stream flow. However, it should be noted that this project did not measure the most potent steroidal hormone.
The results of this study will now be used to inform the ongoing development of guidance on the management of health and environmental risks associated with the use of recycled water being developed by the EPA and DHS with assistance from DSE.
This report does not represent the views of the VWT Advisory Council, nor does it represent Government policy.