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What is recycled water?

A country as dry as Australia needs alternative water sources. Especially as our climate gets hotter and drier. Recycled water is treated wastewater that can be re-used for a range of purposes. It is a valuable source of sustainable water, which helps conserve our precious drinking water supplies and protect our environment.

Wastewater is the water that goes down the drain after we’ve used the toilet, taps, sinks, showers, washing machines and dishwashers in homes, businesses and industry.

It is treated at a wastewater treatment plant (also known as a water recycling plant) to a standard suitable for its intended use. Recycled water is usually delivered through purple pipes which are separate to pipes that supply drinking water. This way, nobody gets the wrong type of water.

Where it's used

Unlike water from our dams and rivers, the availability of recycled water is not dependent on rainfall. It is a resource that will increase as our population grows and our climate changes.

In Victoria, recycled water is only used for non-potable uses, including:

  • agriculture (for watering crops and stock drinking water)
  • in and around the home for flushing toilets and gardening
  • commercial and industrial processes
  • irrigation of sporting fields, gardens and parks
  • supporting biodiversity and to sustain flows in rivers and wetlands
  • water treatment processes.

The benefits of recycled water

Some households operate their own on-site water recycling systems. This uses ‘greywater’ from the shower or washing machine to water the garden, saving both water and money. In some countries such as the United States, recycled water is further treated and added to drinking water supplies.

Reusing more recycled water provides benefits to the community, including:

  • reducing the amount of drinking water we take from our dams and rivers
  • protecting our waterways and bays
  • enabling the return of river water to Traditional Owners and the environment.

The most recent figures from the Victorian Water Accounts show 573,967 megalitres of wastewater was treated at Victorian treatment plants in 2023. Only a small portion of this was reused. Treated wastewater that is not reused is released to waterways, bays and the sea and meets strict environmental requirements.

One reason we don’t use more recycled water is the high cost of treatment and delivery to where it’s needed. To overcome this barrier, Integrated Water Management helps government, the water sector and communities work together to better plan, manage and deliver water in Victoria’s towns and cities.

Case study

There are a variety of programs in place to allow for the use of recycled water to increase. Schools often have their own systems to save water and money as seen in this Greening Schools video for Ballarat Grammar.

Meanwhile, treatment plants such as the Ballarat South Wastewater Treatment Plant use science to ensure the benefits flow on to communities. These videos from Central Highlands Water show these two parts of the recycled water story.

Watch the videos

Greening Ballarat schools (2 min 39 sec)

Ballarat South Wastewater Treatment Plant virtual tour (3 min 24 sec)

Meet the expert

Ahmet Hashim is a Team Leader in the Wastewater Reuse Operations area of the Greater Western Water (GWW). At GWW's Altona Treatment Plant, he discusses overseeing multiple water treatment plants and what recycled water means for the community.

Source: DEECA

Photo essay

Further resources

Below you can find a variety of resources to further research and understand recycled water in Victoria.

About wastewater – read about the Environmental Protection Authority's role in managing the use of wastewater.

Class A recycled water – the Department of Health explains the science behind recycled water.

How to safely use recycled water – we must all follow the rules.

Recycled water and our diverse water sources – recycled water along with stormwater and rain water will help in the years ahead.

Recycled water a boost for farms in Victoria’s South East – 4,000 megalitres of recycled water being made available to farmers.

Treatment plants

Treatment plants take wastewater and turn it into water that can be re-used. They can be private or operated by water corporations. These are some of those plants:

Videos of other treatment plants can be found in the video dropdown menu below.

Coliban Water

Coliban Water have three programs that will improve access to recycled water. They are:

South East Water

South East Water provide information about some of their big recycled water projects:

You can find out what other Victorian water corporations are saying about recycled water and wastewater treatment, too. Use this map to find out which is your local water corporation and visit their website for information.

Ballarat South Wastewater Treatment Plant – See what happens to Ballarat's wastewater and how it is treated by Central Highlands Water.

Behind the scenes of Gippsland Water Factory – join Gippsland Water for a tour of this treatment factory.

Biodiversity overview of the Western Treatment Plant – Melbourne Water show you how a paradise for wildlife came to exist.

A birds eye view of the Eastern Treatment Plant – did you know the Eastern Treatment Plant treats nearly half of Melbourne's sewage?

Central Highlands Water (CHW) Laboratory Tour – take a tour of CHW's facilities.

MCG water recycling – using on-site recycled water technology to green the Melbourne Cricket Ground and surrounding parks.

The Melbourne sewerage story – travel back in time to the 1920s with Melbourne Water.

Water treatment in Victoria – Gippsland Water explain how water starts as rain and eventually comes out of your taps.

What are biosolids – Waste is black gold for farmers with Melbourne Water.

Where Does the Water Go – for younger viewers, South East Water explain how the grid is important for sewerage.

Water Cycle Game – play along with South East Water's game for year 7 students.

Page last updated: 16/09/25