Table A1.1 Framework elements applied to a scheme using recycled water from a major metropolitan sewage treatment plant to irrigate commercial crops Framework element and Activity components Element 1: Commitment to responsible use and management of recycled water Components: The growers required a supply of irrigation water that could be • Responsible use of recycled water used to water food crops without restriction on methods of Regulatory and formal application. The health, environment and primary industries requirements agencies aimed to identify conditions that would ensure safe and Partnerships and engagment of sustainable use. stakeholders (including the public) Regulatory requirements identified included: • Recycled water quality policy Public and Environmental Health Act – Environment Protection Act – Development of the scheme • – Food Act involved collaboration between – Stock Foods Act the water utility, the state’s Other stakeholders were the: state department responsible for • human health (eg Health commercial buyers of produce – Department HD), the state — local irrigators association – department responsible for the district horticulture centre – environment (eg Environmental constructor and operator of the distribution system – Protection Authority EPA), — consumers of produce – primary industries department, environmental protection other users of recycled water – agency (EPA) and growers. general public. – Element 2: Assessment of the recycled water system irrigation of Components: salad vegetables – Intended uses and source of recycled water lucerne for stock feed – recreational areas – The source of water is a Receiving environments or endpoints include groundwater, surface • • large sewage treatment plant. water, plants, soils, air. Specific soil types and plant species were identified. Intended uses include • A catchment survey was undertaken to identify industries attached Recycled water systems analysis • to the collection system. The original design of the scheme included secondary treatment • and lagoons; later extended to include coagulation, dissolved air flotation and filtration (DAFF) and chlorination. Treated effluent is distributed through 100 km of pipeline to the • irrigators; users are required to have on-site storages, with air gaps between delivery pipes and the storage facility. Irrigators use drip and overhead spray irrigation systems. • Twenty years of chemical data for the treated sewage were Assessment of water quality data • available for assessment.
Table A1.1 Framework elements applied to a scheme using recycled water from a major metropolitan sewage treatment plant to irrigate commercial crops Framework element and components Activity Element 1: Commitment to responsible use and management of recycled water Components: Responsible use of recycled water Regulatory and formal requirements Partnerships and engagment of stakeholders (including the public) Recycled water quality policy • Development of the scheme involved collaboration between the state’s water utility, the state department responsible for human health (eg Health Department — HD), the state department responsible for the environment (eg Environmental Protection Authority — EPA), primary industries department, environmental protection agency (EPA) and growers. • The growers required a supply of irrigation water that could be used to water food crops without restriction on methods of application. The health, environment and primary industries agencies aimed to identify conditions that would ensure safe and sustainable use. • Regulatory requirements identified included: – Public and Environmental Health Act – Environment Protection Act – Food Act – Stock Foods Act • Other stakeholders were the: – commercial buyers of produce – local irrigators association – district horticulture centre – constructor and operator of the distribution system – consumers of produce – other users of recycled water – general public. Element 2: Assessment of the recycled water system Components: Intended uses and source of recycled water • The source of water is a large sewage treatment plant. • Intended uses include irrigation of – salad vegetables – lucerne for stock feed – recreational areas • Receiving environments or endpoints include groundwater, surface water, plants, soils, air. Specific soil types and plant species were identified. Recycled water systems analysis • A catchment survey was undertaken to identify industries attached to the collection system. • The original design of the scheme included secondary treatment and lagoons; later extended to include coagulation, dissolved air flotation and filtration (DAFF) and chlorination. • Treated effluent is distributed through 100 km of pipeline to the irrigators; users are required to have on-site storages, with air gaps between delivery pipes and the storage facility. • Irrigators use drip and overhead spray irrigation systems. Assessment of water quality data • Twenty years of chemical data for the treated sewage were available for assessment.