 Water
recycling & reuse - 2004
Tea Tree Trial Bomaderry
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Indicator description
What does the Data tell us for 2000/2004
Northern Shoalhaven Reclaimed Water Management Scheme (REMS)
Operational Highlights
Farm Monitoring Program
REMS Stage 1B
Northern Shoalhaven Reclaimed Water
Management Scheme (REMS)
The Northern Shoalhaven Reclaimed Water Management Scheme
(REMS) has been developed to provide a long-term beneficial approach to
wastewater management in the Shoalhaven. Reclaimed Water (treated wastewater) is
tertiary treated including filtration and chlorine disinfection. The aim of the
Scheme is to reuse an average of 80% of reclaimed water produced with surpluses
released to the ocean at Penguin Head. Scheme water is currently supplied to
sixteen properties including dairy farms, golf courses and sporting grounds.
REMS Stage 1A construction was completed in 2003 and includes
Callala, Vincentia, Culburra Beach and St Georges Basin Wastewater Treatment
Plants (WWTPs). From October 2001 reclaimed water from St Georges Basin and
Vincentia WWTPs has been transferred to the REMS distribution facilities at
Coonemia allowed releases to Jervis Bay to be stopped.
Figure 58 - Northern REMS and WwTPs
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Operational Highlights
Volumes
Reused - In the first two and one-half years of
REMS operations, in excess of 4,100,000,000 litres (4,100 megalitres) have been
recycled onto land or 76% of the reclaimed water managed within the Scheme.
Approximately 1,300 megalitres was released to the ocean from the Scheme.
Reclaimed
Water Quality Scheme water quality has been of a
consistently high standard and fully complies with environmental and irrigation
water quality targets. A high level of disinfection is also being achieved. This
level of quality will allow reclaimed water to be used in a wide variety of
applications in the future.
Impact on
Jervis Bay In excess of 3,700 megalitres of
reclaimed water has not been released into Jervis Bay as a result of REMS. This
has resulted in 19 tonnes less of nitrogen 7 tonnes less of phosphorus and 30
tonnes less suspended solids being released into the Bay.
Ocean
Release Monitoring Possible
impacts of reclaimed water releases to the ocean have been studied since 1995. A
range of ocean hydrology and ecological studies were undertaken in 2003
following an extended ocean release from REMS. Given the improved level of
wastewater treatment in REMS, there has not been any increase in pollutant loads
released to the ocean on a daily or annual basis when compared with the previous
situation where Culburra Beach WWTP discharged on a daily basis to Penguin Head.
The ecological studies have generally shown minimal or no detectable impact at
the Penguin Head release site when compared to three reference sites in the
area. The ecological studys (MHL, 2004) main conclusion was:
Considering
all ecological studies undertaken at Penguin Head since 1995 and including the
current [2003] result, any detected effects of release have occurred over small
scales and are considered to represent small, environmentally acceptable effects.
Further major investigations will occur when there are
significant changes to REMS ocean release patterns.
Groundwater monitoring The
Scheme has now collected three years worth of groundwater height and quality
data from 13 bores in the main REMS irrigation area and bulk storage site. The
data collected does not indicate any significant change to local water table
heights or quality since irrigation began in December 2001.
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Farm Monitoring
Program
As there was some uncertainty regarding the environmental and
financial outcomes of REMS irrigation on the Shoalhaven floodplain, a two-year
survey program was initiated at the commencement of supply to farms in late
2001. This survey involved collecting data from three irrigated and three
adjacent non-irrigated farms on a monthly basis. Key findings of the two-year
survey were:
-
730mm of reclaimed water was
applied to irrigated paddocks (over two years)
-
Soil moisture deficit reduced
from 40% (dryland) to 10% (irrigated)
-
Irrigated dairy farms
utilised 20% more of their feed from pasture and carried more stock per
hectare
-
There were no significant
differences in milk quality, animal health or soil quality between irrigated
and non-irrigated farms
The average
irrigated farm was estimated to be $50,000 to $70,000 better off financially
over the two years. Farms also saved around $2,000 from the fertiliser content
in reclaimed water and $5,000 in town water charges by switching to reclaimed
water for washing down yards and pens. The financial benefits of REMS to the
Shoalhaven region in the first two years of operation were estimated to be
between $2.4 and $3.2 million including value-adding at the Bomaderry milk
factory.
The operations of REMS are governed by an Environment
Protection Licence and operational issues are periodically reviewed by the REMS
Management Advisory Board and the REMS Monitoring Review Group which consist of
community and stakeholder representatives.
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REMS Stage 1B
The REMS will be expanded to include management of reclaimed
water produced from the Nowra and Bomaderry WwTPs. Both treatment plants are to
be expanded, upgraded and linked to the REMS distribution system. Concept design
work for REMS Stage 1B is underway in conjunction with the NSW Department of
Commerce. It is expected REMS Stage 1B will be completed in 2007/08.
Graph 160 - Water Recycling & Re-Use 2000-2004
%2004.GIF)
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