Federal government funding totaling Aus$ 11.4 million (US$ 11.2 million) will enable City West Water in Melbourne, Australia, to roll out an aquifer and storage recovery scheme as part of its West Werribee Dual Supply project.
The scheme will draw recycled water from Melbourne Water’s Western Treatment Plant, use a small reverse-osmosis plant to reduce salt, and inject it into an underground aquifer for storage.
The treated recycled water will then be extracted and piped to customers via the West Werribee project for use in home gardens, toilet flushing and public open spaces such as Werribee Racecourse. Parliamentary secretary for sustainability and urban water Senator Don Farrell said on 22 November 2010 that making the most of recycled water would help ease demand on Melbourne’s drinking water supplies.