New Water - Government delay's installation of domestic grey water treatment systems
Whilst the drought has generated the opportunity for many innovative
solutions in the Australian water industry sector, outdated government regulations
often do not provide approvals for the advanced technology, according to recent study
by Australian company New Water.
New Water, founded in 2004, provides innovative water solutions to help households
reduce their potable water consumption. The company is also a founding member of the
Australian Grey Water Institute (AGWI).
Malcolm Gordon, Operations Manager at New Water, revealed the results of his study
on domestic grey water treatment systems and regulatory frameworks.
"Grey water recycling at household level can make a considerable difference in our
water shortage problem as well as being an efficient and cost effective solution
that creates virtually no footprint on the environment," Gordon said.
"However, the main hurdles companies like us face are not the performance of the
systems but the lack of public awareness of a solution.
"Above all, governments' regulatory frameworks, both at state and local level, haven't
adapted to the technology. Some of them actually make it illegal to install sustainable
grey water treatment systems, whilst allowing direct diversion of grey water (from shower
and washing machine)," he added.
Gordon said prior to installing a domestic grey water treatment system, the state
regulator must provide appropriate product certification. Local councils, mainly through
their Health Office, are then responsible for issuing the permit to install, which is
proving difficult for customers and manufacturers.
"We have been consistently delayed during the application process by a lack of local policy
and supporting administrative procedures, which often results in the application being
rejected as it cannot be processed in time," Gordon said.
"We've also encountered council using its power to add additional monitoring requirements
overriding the state's guidance, thus increasing the yearly operational costs by nearly
400 percent.
"Some local councils are also uncomfortable with the limitations that they have over the
control of the system's discharge," he added.
According to Gordon, part of the solution is for industry players such as New Water to work
with councils to update the government regulations.
"We want to work with government departments and local councils to help them introduce and/or
update their policy to facilitate the uptake of domestic grey water treatment systems," he said.
"Manufacturers should also adequately identify reference to relevant codes and standards to
help assessing officers with the approval process.
"Another solution is for manufacturers to form a binding contract with homeowners in which
the manufacturer takes responsibility for the performance of the approved products," Gordon
added.
Another recent research by New Water's Technical Expert Roy Olliff demonstrated that the
installation of only 156,000 domestic grey water treatment systems in Victoria could delay
the need for a future desalination plant to be built as well as save over $1 billion. Olliff
also maintained that this Melbourne example could be applied all around Australia.
Olliff and Gordon, who is one of New Water's founders and inventor of the company's main product
innovations, were invited to present the results of their study at the On-site '07 Innovation and
Technology for On-site Systems conference held from 25-27 September at the University of New
England, Armidale, NSW.
New Water's patented technologies include the Aqua Reviva grey water treatment system, the Rain
Reviva rainwater bladder tank as well as the Microslim, Slimline and In-slab tanks. New Water has
also recently added solar hot water systems to its holistic range of domestic water solutions.
For more information on New Water, visit www.newwater.com.au or call 1300 552 695 (1 300 NEW WATER).
For further information contact:
New Water
phone: 1300 552 695
fax: (03) 9873 2844
web: www.newwater.com.au
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