Government departments Industry associations Multimedia Frequently Asked Questions What is recycled water? Is the person using recycled water safe? Is recycled water safe for use around the home? Is recycled water safe for use in agriculture? How safe is recycled water? What are the potential risks associated with recycled water? What are the common units when talking about recycled water? How do I know where recycled water is used? How do we manage any risk associated with using recycled water? How does the reclamation or treatment process work for recycling water? Can recycled water be used for agriculture and amenity horticulture? How much water is recycled in Australia? What are Australia’s water resources? What can recycled water be used for? How is recycled water defined? Why recycle our water? Why do we recycle water and allocate it to the environment? Glossary
Search our site

How is recycled water defined?

Recycled water is defined in the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling as water that has been treated to a 'fit for purpose' standard for a specific application.  However, many state and territory guidelines still refer to recycled water as class A to D of recycled water that can be used for a variety of uses.  A general indication of these uses are indicated below:

Class

Range of uses (uses include all lower class uses)

A

Urban (non-potable): with uncontrolled public access.
Agricultural: e.g. human food crops consumed raw.
Industrial: open systems with worker exposure potential.

B

Agricultural: e.g. dairy cattle grazing.
Industrial: e.g. wash down water.

C

Urban (non-potable) with controlled public access.
Agricultural: e.g. human food crops cooked/processed, grazing/fodder for livestock.
Industrial: systems with no potential worker exposure.

D

Agricultural: non-food crops including instant turf, woodlots, flowers.

EPA Victoria: Guidelines for Environmental Management, Use of Reclaimed Water, September 2002

 

NOTE: See each state and territory guidelines for specific requirements

 

     RSS

Latest News



ReWater Subscription

To subscribe to our newsletter, please fill out the form below:

Name:

Email:

Industry:

Verification:
What is 2 + 8?