Reuse or recycled water is an important option for securing water supply into the future. There is increasing investment in infrastructure related to the supply of reuse water, and as such there is considerable interest in the volumes of reuse water supplied and used. Reuse or recycled water is provided for purposes including: agricultural irrigation; 'third pipe' systems in new urban developments; watering of community sports grounds and parks; and supply to industry. In addition, water management authorities are interested in whether reuse water is reducing the demand for distributed water or self-extracted water.

In 2009–10, the total volume of reuse water supplied was 374 GL, more than a third (34% or 127 GL) was supplied in New South Wales and more than a quarter (26% or 98 GL) in Victoria.

The Agriculture industry remained the largest user of reuse water across all industries in Australia (34% of total reuse water or 126 GL) followed by the Water supply industry (28% or 105 GL) and by Other industries (21% or 78 GL). Other industries includes industries relating to the operation and maintenance of parks, gardens and sporting fields (see the Glossary for a complete list of Other industries).

USE OF REUSE WATER(a), by industry— 2009–10

NSW

Vic.

Qld

SA

WA

Tas.

NT

ACT

Aust.

ML

ML

ML

ML

ML

ML

ML

ML

ML

Agriculture

54 550

34 015

10 056

21 269

4 932

1 311

7

21

126 160

Forestry and fishing

155

-

2 905

-

-

-

-

-

3 060

Mining

5 956

2 697

72

15

316

1

-

-

9 057

Manufacturing

10 558

4 986

7 815

840

5 586

176

5

25

29 990

Electricity and gas supply

1 515

3 743

13 934

-

530

-

-

-

19 721

Water supply(b)

26 126

33 268

7 767

3 233

2 736

679

-

30 821

104 630

Other industries(c)

25 631

18 455

18 674

6 444

3 368

4 316

1 221

152

78 262

Household

2 210

584

50

242

20

-

-

-

3 106

Total

126 701

97 748

61 273

32 042

17 488

6 483

1 233

31 019

373 987

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)

(a) Includes reuse supplied by major, non-major urban, minor urban, irrigation and other water providers.

(b) Includes sewerage and drainage services.

(c) Includes mainly services and administrative industries.

ORIGIN OF REUSE WATER

The table below presents reuse water supply (see Explanatory Notes, paragraph 17) by type of water supplier in 2009–10. Of the total 412 GL of reuse water collected, 87% (357 GL) came from wastewater with the remainder coming from drainage and stormwater. It is likely that drainage water from irrigation/rural water providers makes a significant contribution to reuse water supply, but this is mostly unmeasured. In some cases, distributed water can also be mixed with reuse water. Of the States and Territories, reuse water supply from wastewater was highest in Victoria (117 GL or 33%), followed by Queensland (79 GL or 22%).

WASTEWATER, STORMWATER AND DRAINAGE WATER COLLECTED(a)— 2009–10

NSW

Vic.

Qld

SA

WA

Tas.

NT

ACT

Aust.

ML

ML

ML

ML

ML

ML

ML

ML

ML

Wastewater

Major urban

40 417

85 618

42 228

25 447

16 850

6 483

1 233

30 922

249 198

Non-major urban

22 442

18 766

14 917

-

-

-

-

-

56 125

Minor urban

11 117

-

21 390

239

547

-

-

-

33 293

Irrigation/rural

-

12 515

762

5 492

-

-

-

-

18 769

Total

73 976

116 899

79 297

31 178

17 397

6 483

1 233

30 922

357 385

Stormwater

Major urban

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

97

97

Non-major urban

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Minor urban

160

-

-

1 653

91

-

-

-

1 904

Irrigation/rural

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Total

160

-

-

1 653

91

-

-

97

2 001

Drainage water

Major urban

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Non-major urban

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Minor urban

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Irrigation/rural

52 570

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

52 570

Total

52 570

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

52 570

Total

Major urban

40 417

85 618

42 228

25 447

16 850

6 483

1 233

31 019

249 295

Non-major urban

22 442

18 766

14 917

-

-

-

-

-

56 125

Minor urban

11 277

-

21 390

1 892

638

-

-

-

35 197

Irrigation/rural

52 570

12 515

762

5 492

-

-

-

-

71 339

Total

126 706

116 899

79 297

32 831

17 488

6 483

1 233

31 019

411 956

(a) Reuse collected may be either supplied to customers or used by the Water supply industry.

The table below describes the supply of distributed water and reuse water by water providers. 59% of the distributed water in Australia was supplied by irrigation/rural water providers, more than a quarter by major urban water providers (26%). In New South Wales, 70% of all distributed water in the state was supplied by irrigation/rural water providers. In contrast, 61% of reuse water in Australia was supplied by major urban water providers and only 19% by irrigation/rural water providers.

TOTAL DISTRIBUTED AND REUSE WATER SUPPLY(a)(b), by provider type— 2009–10

NSW

Vic.

Qld

SA

WA

Tas.

NT

ACT

Aust.

ML

ML

ML

ML

ML

ML

ML

ML

ML

Distributed water

Major urban

736 275

558 459

272 140

221 124

443 845

90 611

58 870

47 817

2 429 141

Non-major urban

151 639

456 569

112 570

-

10 310

-

-

-

731 088

Minor urban

102 562

-

268 231

3 503

1 246

-

-

-

375 542

Irrigation/rural

2 400 951

1 369 831

1 337 722

154 111

249 496

69 562

-

-

5 581 673

Other(c)

55 004

2 364

80 572

938

9 958

135 353

3 709

-

287 898

Total

3 446 431

2 387 223

2 071 235

379 676

714 855

295 526

62 579

47 817

9 405 342

Reuse water

Major urban

40 417

66 467

39 562

24 880

16 850

6 483

1 233

31 019

226 911

Non-major urban

22 441

18 766

14 917

-

-

-

-

-

56 124

Minor urban

11 273

-

6 032

1 670

638

-

-

-

19 613

Irrigation/rural

52 570

12 515

762

5 492

-

-

-

-

71 339

Other(c)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Total

126 701

97 748

61 273

32 042

17 488

6 483

1 233

31 019

373 987

Total

Major urban

776 692

624 926

311 702

246 004

460 695

97 094

60 103

78 836

2 656 052

Non-major urban

174 080

475 335

127 487

-

10 310

-

-

-

787 212

Minor urban

113 835

-

274 263

5 173

1 884

-

-

-

395 155

Irrigation/rural

2 453 521

1 382 346

1 338 484

159 603

249 496

69 562

-

-

5 653 012

Other(c)

55 004

2 364

80 572

938

9 958

135 353

3 709

-

287 898

Total

3 573 132

2 484 971

2 132 508

411 718

732 343

302 009

63 812

78 836

9 779 329

(a) Data represents gross water supply including water supplied to other water providers and customers, losses, own use by water providers, and environmental flows.

(b) Water supplied from one water provider to another is recorded against the original water provider.

(c) Includes water supplied by other industries including Mining, Manufacturing and Electricity and gas supply industries.