What do Australians really think of purified recycled water?

About the survey

With Australia having experienced water scarcity, intensified by climate change and a growing population, the survey was conducted to gain a greater understanding of attitudes towards alternative drinking water options, including purified recycled water.

Engaging with respondents by telephone survey, and follow up focus groups, Aurecon with partner ORIMA Research, explored the topic. It is the first nationwide and independent Australian report to study the attitudes of people towards alternative water supply.

Key insights

Overwhelmingly, those surveyed indicated that they wanted a voice in what their future water supply mix includes. Respondents revealed that they are aware of local water security risks and recognise the need for action to improve water supply quality, resilience and reliability, and know that discussions need to progress around alternative water options.

It showed that while PRW is not an immediately preferred option, it is seen as a possible future option to be further discussed. This reveals the need to improve people’s water literacy around alternative water supply, and how a customer’s trust in their water authority is central to their confidence in accepting new alternative water supply technologies.

Survey results grouped into five main findings:

1. Water education (also referred to as water literacy) must improve: Among the 41 per cent of respondents that were neutral about supplementing their water supply with PRW, most simply did not know enough about it to have an opinion (21 per cent) or were still undecided (15 per cent). This indicates that there is a significant opportunity to increase acceptance of PRW by improving the water literacy of Australians, especially among respondents who are neutral towards PRW.
2. Water scarcity experience is linked to greater acceptance of PRW: A deeper understanding of how water supply systems are managed and an openness to further discussion about PRW was seen amongst respondents who had lived experience of water scarcity.
3. Experience with PRW is linked to acceptance: The topic of PRW is marked by uncertainty, with fear of the unknown. The national survey showed evidence that when people have lived in a region with PRW as part of their drinking water supply, this correlates with a greater acceptance of PRW as a possible future water source.
4. Trust in water authorities: It is crucial that water supply authorities build and maintain their customers’ trust that any alternative water supply, including PRW, adheres to drinking water standards. This is often referred to as having a social licence.
5. There is a willingness to have further conversations about PRW: The survey indicated that just over one quarter of respondents were comfortable to have a serious conversation about PRW, with a further 33 per cent having no set opinion either way.

What is purified recycled water and how is it made safe for water supply?

All water is recycled as part of the natural water cycle. A town downstream of another town already participates in unplanned water recycling as the downstream community is reusing water from upstream. Modern water treatment technologies accelerate this cycle using multiple stages of treatment, transfer, and storage, before supply to the drinking water system.

Purified recycled water (PRW) is wastewater that’s been thoroughly treated to remove any microbial pathogens and chemicals that pose a risk to human health. It is then pumped to a dam or reservoir where it blends with rainwater runoff stored in the dam, and re-enters the drinking water system. This total combined water is treated again at water treatment plants before being delivered to homes and businesses.

PRW has the potential to provide reliable, cost competitive, climate-independent drinking water supplies to Australian communities, but its local implementation to date has been limited. This is not due to the limitations of science or technical expertise, but predominantly due to the perception that the public do not support its use. However, as water scarcity is predicted to intensify, traditional treatment processes may not meet Australia’s needs and this will necessitate further resilience for a sustainable water future.

Navigating the future of water security

This Australia-first report from Aurecon and ORIMA Research is one step in the long-term effort to explore the technical and operational feasibility of climate-independent water supply options as demand for water increases with population growth, and rainwater becomes scarcer due to climate change.

Aurecon also recently published a white paper, ‘Water’s recovery’, that discusses how PRW might shore up water supply in major cities, using Melbourne as a case study example.

Contributing authors & reviewers: Shane Tyrrell, Jake Gerrald, Saanika Rana, Sally Williamson and Kylie Cochrane (Aurecon), Darren Romain, David Bruce (ORIMA Research) and Paulina Hryniewiecka (ORIMA Research).