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Non-residential uses

In the urban area, recycled water is ideal for irrigating the places we all enjoy like sports grounds, parks and gardens.  We also supply recycled water to a variety of businesses in our service area – including turf growers, nurseries, golf courses, market gardeners, wineries, commercial laundries and for quarrying of sand. 



Class A recycled water can be used for a range of applications, including watering food crops that are consumed raw, like carrots, cabbage and leafy greens and the irrigation of pasture.  The table below lists established uses for Class A recycled water and suggestions for other types of uses that may be appropriate. South East Water will work with individual customers to assess if Class A recycled water is fit for your purpose. 

Industrial uses include:

  • material washing (for example coal and sand)
  • dust suppression
  • process rinse water
  • crate and pallet washing
  • hardstand and vehicle washing
  • fire protection cooling
  • in production line
  • boiler or cooling tower feed water supplement.

Agricultural and horticultural uses include:

  • livestock fodder and drinking (excluding pigs)
  • crop irrigation (surface and subsurface)
  • landscape irrigation (surface and subsurface), including irrigation of municipal parks and gardens, sports grounds and urban cooling.

Commercial uses include:

  • construction (for example road compaction)
  • commercial car washing facilities or depots
  • commercial laundries or washing machines at non-residential facilities
  • toilet flushing at non-residential facilities
  • heating/cooling (air-conditioning) systems.

Use Category

Description

Typical Use

Nurseries 

The growing of plants for non-food purposes.

Irrigation 
Washing and cleaning

Market Gardens

The growing of plants for food production

Irrigation 
Washing and cleaning of equipment and surfaces

Quarrying and sand mining

Use of water to produce building materials

Washing  Sand

Livestock, cattle, sheep, horses, goats etc (excluding pigs)*

The growing of pasture/crops for grazing or fodder production

Irrigation 
Wash down water for dairy sheds and stockyards (excluding milking equipment)

Municipal irrigation

Irrigation of open spaces e.g. sports ovals, parks/gardens

Irrigation 

Turf farms

Growing of turf for commercial purposes

Irrigation

Where is recycled water available?

Name

Description / Information

Status

Class of Water

Availability

South East Outfall (SEO)

This is the outfall line for Melbourne Water's Eastern Treatment Plant (ETP) & runs from Carrum Downs, to Boags Rocks / Bass Strait.  ETP is the source for the majority of Class A water for our Third pipe network.
For the majority of the time the SEO has Class A water flowing through it.  There are approximately 60 access chambers along this pipeline and South East Water facilitates connections via these access chambers to a number of private customers.

From Melbourne Water's Website "Our Eastern Treatment Plant at Bangholme receives and treats over 350 million litres of wastewater per day. While some of the treated water, called Class A recycled water, is used on site or provided to nearby customers, the rest of the high-quality recycled water is released into the ocean via the South Eastern Outfall (SEO) at Boags Rocks, Gunnamatta."

Existing

Class A & Class C

approx. 3-400ML/day

Frankston RW Scheme

Accessing water from the SEO, the Frankston Scheme comprises of approx. 5km of reticulated network & services three Frankston City Council sporting sites in Frankston & Frankston North with Class A/C recycled water.

Existing

Class A & Class C

Volume Available

Mornington RW Scheme

Similar to the Frankston Scheme, the Mornington RW Scheme accesses water from the SEO for Mornington Peninsula Shire Council (MPSC) sporting sites and the Mornington Racing Club

Existing

Class A & Class C

Volume Available

Dingley RW Scheme

Dingley Recycled Water Scheme | South East Water

Under Construction

Class A

Volume Available

Monterey RW Scheme

Recycled water flows to Frankston City | South East Water

Under Construction

Class A

Limited Availability

Boneo RW Scheme

The Boneo (WRP) has a designated Class A treatment system and distributes Class A water to market gardens along with MPSC sporting sites

Existing

Class A

Volume Available / Limited Availability

Somers - Mt Martha RW Scheme

This system transfers water from our Somers WRP to our Mt Martha WRP, with the potential to tap into this network along the course of the pipeline.

Existing

Class C

Volume Available

Somers - Hastings Precinct

A bespoke treatment system located at our Somers WRP produces Class A recycled water and that is then further treated via reverse osmosis membranes, removing trace impurities from the water.  This water is then distributed north of the township of Hastings.  South East Water is currently exploring the potential to significantly increase the capacity of this network.  This extra level of treatment increases the range of potential 'fit for purpose' application, e.g. Cooling towers, plant propagation & greenhouses, industrial process water etc.

Existing

Class A+

Limited availability

Koo Wee Rup RW Scheme

A transfer system from Koo Wee Rup WRP to our Lang Lang WRP, with the potential to tap into this network along the course of the pipeline.

Existing

Class C

Volume Available

Blind Bight RW Scheme

A class C network that runs from our Blind Bight WRP north to Manks rd. Clyde.

Existing

Class C

Availability as of 2026/27

Lang Lang RW Scheme

The Lang Lang WRP has a designated Class A treatment system and distributes Class A water to local sand miners and turf growers.

Existing

Class A

Availability as of 2029/30.

Western Port RW Scheme

Westernport Irrigation Scheme | South East Water

Under construction

Class A

Future volumes

3rd Pipe SE growth Corridor

Recycled water | South East Water

This is the largest of our 3rd pipe network.   Sourced from Eastern Treatment Plant this provides recycled water to the South East growth corridor suburbs of Cranbourne, Clyde and Lyndhurst. 

Existing

Class A

Volume Available

3rd Pipe Logis Estate

Located in Dandenong South, providing recycled water to non-residential customers in a commercial / industrial estate.

Existing

Class A

Volume Available

3rd Pipe Keysborough Estate

Located in Keysborough, west of the Logis estate - predominantly a residential network servicing Sommerfield and Meridian estates, with some open space irrigation.

Existing

Class A

Volume Available

3rd Pipe Pakenham South

This is part of the South East Growth Corridor Network.  A transfer line provides the Pakenham Industrial precinct south of the M1 -Princes Fwy access to RW.   New residential estates in suburbs such as Pakenham, Pakenham South, Officer, and Nar Nar Goon are also serviced via our Pakenham Water Recycling Plant (WRP).

Existing

Class A

Volume Available

3rd Pipe Fishermans Bend

Fishermans Bend | South East Water

Existing

Class A

Volume Available

If this isn’t what you were looking for, see the following links for more information: