Time to check your recycled water connection

South East Water is encouraging its customers with homes connected to recycled water to conduct an annual check to ensure there’s no cross-connection with their drinking water.

Acting South East Water General Manager Service Delivery, Andrew Forster-Knight emphasised the importance of maintaining a safe connection to recycled water supplies.

“More than 57,000 homes across our service region are enjoying the benefits of using recycled water, including for washing clothes, flushing toilets and outdoor watering,” Mr Forster-Knight said.

“Whilst recycled water is safe, of high quality and always in supply, it’s important to check your recycled water plumbing connection each year to make sure there’s no cross-connection with drinking water, especially if you’ve undertaken plumbing, landscaping or renovation works on your property.”

South East Water General Manager Service Delivery, Andrew Forster-Knight

Customers can identify a recycled water supply by its purple pipes, taps and meter. In new housing estates, these are installed at the time of a home’s construction.

How to check your recycled water connection in 4 steps:

1. Turn off the isolation valve at your drinking water meter. Leave the isolation valve at the purple recycled water meter turned on.

2. Turn on all sink, bath and shower taps (hot and cold) one-by-one. All taps should run dry after a short time.

3. After the taps have run dry, flush all toilets. They should refill as normal.

4. Turn on all outdoor taps. All outdoor drinking water taps (if you have them) should run dry, while the purple recycled water taps should continue to flow. If this doesn’t happen it could mean there’s a cross connection, which is where the two water supplies are connected to the wrong outlets.

Customers who suspect a recycled water cross-connection with their drinking water are urged to contact a South East Water Recycled Water Officer on 03 9552 3219.

Learn more about recycled water use and plumbing: Recycled water | South East Water

South East Water produces around 1.6 billion litres of recycled water each year from its 8 water recycling plants for homes, businesses, agriculture and open spaces, helping to save precious drinking water supplies and protect the environment.