Wastewater

While we supply over 2 million people across Western Australia with clean drinking water, we also take away more than 491 million litres of wastewater a day. 

Wastewater is 99.9% water and mostly comes from kitchen sinks, showers and washing machines. Once treated, it can be recycled for reuse or returned to the natural water cycle. A portion of our recycled wastewater is reused in various ways such as irrigating sports grounds, golf courses and public open spaces as well as non-food crops like trees, turf and flowers.

We also recycle water for groundwater replenishment. This is where treated wastewater is further treated, so it’s safe to drink. Because this process doesn’t rely on rainfall, there is potential to recycle large volumes of water sustainably. Currently, groundwater replenishment makes up 3% of our Integrated Water Supply Scheme.

Our goal is to recycle 30% of wastewater by 2030. Increasing the amount of water we recycle is vital to help WA become more climate resilient.