RECYCLED WATER overview
Have you noticed how dirty the stormwater can become after heavy rain? This is stormwater pollution and it affects bird, fish and marine life and can also be a health risk for swimmers. There are different types of stormwater pollution:
One of Ballina Shire Council’s priorities is to reduce stormwater pollution in our community. We have developed an Urban Stormwater Management Plan to ensure we have modern, efficient and well-designed stormwater management systems.
The plan aims to:
We have identified a number of stormwater catchments that we are targeting to reduce pollution and improve water quality.
Council has developed a Wetland Implementation Management Action Plan aimed at restoring the health of the Chickiba wetlands which have been slowly dying because of poor drainage.
We are also working on improving the drainage of nearby sporting fields and reducing the risk of localised flooding which should also improve the quality of stormwater run-off into the Chickiba Wetlands.
Lake Ainsworth is an important recreational and environmental asset and remains a key visitor destination in the Ballina Shire.
Lake Ainsworth is categorised as a typical acidic freshwater coastal dune lake and covers an area of 12.4 hectares. It’s managed by NSW Crown Lands and the southern end reserve is managed by Ballina Shire Council.
The water quality snapshots below have been used to facilitate the preparation of the Lake Ainsworth Coastal Management Program.
Shaws Bay is a popular tidal swimming and recreation area adjacent the Richmond River at Ballina.
During heavy rain Shaws Bay is particularly affected by stormwater run-off which affects water quality.
Council’s Shaws Bay Estuary Management Plan addresses stormwater run-off and water quality as well as other issues including erosion, mangroves and sea grass.
Stormwater run-off into the Boat Channel/Moat at Lennox Head and along some sections of Seven Mile Beach affects the water quality and marine life in these areas which are a part of the Cape Byron Marine Park.
This area has been identified as a candidate for receiving stormwater quality improvement devices as the stormwater network is upgraded.
North Lakes is not a naturally occurring water body but are stormwater treatment ponds that were constructed as part of the North Lakes Residential Estate in 1991.
Stormwater from the roads, roofs, footpaths, gardens, lawns and carparks within the North Lakes estate all drain directly into the Lakes where it is treated before discharging into the adjacent natural wetland and North Creek.
These stormwater ponds have become inhabited by many native fish, bird species and native riparian vegetation. Whilst this beneficial natural improvement has occurred the underlying function of the Lakes is to treat stormwater from the estate.
A Water Quality Management Plan for the area has been developed.
Much of Ballina Shire is located on the Richmond River flood plain. Some streets and roads within Ballina, Wardell and Lennox Head are located below the Highest Astronomical Tide level. Because of the low lying nature of the ground stormwater can often drain slowly, this issue is made worse when rain occurs during high tides, high flows in the river or during storms.
For more information visit Council's Floodplain Management page.
In the Ballina Shire we have two types of recycled water:
No. Recycled water should not be used for:
Ballina Shire Council has invested $85 million in the Ballina-Lennox Head Recycled Water Masterplan. The program aims to:
We have four wastewater treatment plants in the Ballina Shire:
Recycled water is currently treated at our Lennox Head faclity. Our water recycling plant produces high quality recycled water that goes through a number of rigorous treatment processes in accordance with the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling and the NSW DPI Water Guidelines for Recycled Water Management Systems. Our recycled water is treated to a drinking water quality standard and is crystal clear.
Properties with recycled water are audited when they are first built and then every five years to ensure plumbing cross connections may have occurred. Recycled water users can check their property’s last audit date via the recycled water sticker located within their meter/power box. See the treatment and auditing factsheets below for more information.
Some housing estates in the Ballina Shire have dual reticulation (recycled water). This means that some taps and fittings in these homes are connected to recycled water, such as toilets, laundries and in the garden. These households can reduce their use of drinking water by up to 40%.
Recycled water comes from easily distinguishable purple-coloured pipes.
Our factsheets explain everything you need to know about recycled water:
Factsheet 1 Recycled Water Frequently Asked Questions
Factsheet 2 Recycled Water Facts for Owners, Plumbers and Builders
Factsheet 3 Recycled Water Facts for the Real Estate Industry
Factsheet 4 Recycled Water Facts for GPs, Pharmacists and Health Practitioners
Factsheet 5 Recycled Water Facts for Understanding the Treatment of Recycled Water
Factsheet 6 Recycled Water Facts – Safely Disposing of Chemicals
Factsheet 7 Recycled Water Facts – The Price of Recycled Water
Factsheet 8 Recycled Water Facts - Alstonville and Wardell Schemes
Factsheet 9 Recycled Water Facts - Information for Strata Managers
Factsheet 10 Recycled Water Facts - Your car, clothes and garden
Factsheet 11 Recycled Water Facts - Council property audits
Download our Recycled Water User Guide
Recycled water is currently supplied to a range of areas across our Shire, including:
Map of recycled water areas in Ballina Shire
In the future, recycled water will expand into new developments across our shire and all future housing estates in our shire will have dual reticulation.
Where possible, recycled water may also be provided to houses and businesses located near to recycled water pipelines and these properties may be eligible for rebates.
WHAT IS ‘THE URBAN WATER CYCLE’
The water cycle is the term given to the continuous movement of rain falling and flowing into our waterways and evaporating into the atmosphere. The urban water cycle is the way water is collected, used and managed. Ballina Shire Council manages the urban water cycle for the people living in the Ballina, Alstonville, Wollongbar, Wardell and Lennox Head areas. This includes our drinking water, wastewater (sewage) and recycled water.
OUR URBAN WATER CYCLE
In managing the urban water cycle, we aim to preserve our precious drinking water and minimise our impact on the enviroment. Most of the water we drink comes from Rocky Creek dam, Emigrant Creek dam and Marom Creek weir. During prolonged dry periods, Wilsons River and groundwater supplies are also available. Water is piped to treatment plants where impurities are removed and it is made safe for drinking and household use.Water used for flushing toilets and household water that goes down the drain is called wastewater.
All wastewater is sent to sewerage treatment plants where it is treated and recycled. Recycled water is available to homes and businesses with dual reticulation. It is used to flush toilets, wash clothes, water gardens and wash cars and pathways. Recycled water can also be used to irrigate public facilities such as sporting fields.Some treated wastewater is released back into the environment.
A MODERN URBAN WATER CYCLE FOR BALLINA SHIRE
Recycled water plays a key role in our urban water cycle, in recent years we have invested $85 million in upgrading the Ballina and Lennox Head Wastewater Treatment Plants.
This means: