MEDIA RELEASE 26 September 2007
Outdated government regulations delay installation of domestic grey water treatment systems
Whilst the drought has generated the opportunity for many innovative solutions
in the Australian water industry sector, outdated government regulations often
do not provide approvals for the advanced technology, according to recent study
by Australian company New Water.
New Water, founded in 2004, provides innovative water solutions to help
households reduce their potable water consumption. The company is also a
founding member of the Australian Grey Water Institute (AGWI).
Malcolm Gordon, Operations Manager at New Water, revealed the results of his
study on domestic grey water treatment systems and regulatory frameworks.
"Grey water recycling at household level can make a considerable difference in
our water shortage problem as well as being an efficient and cost effective
solution that creates virtually no footprint on the environment," Gordon said.
"However, the main hurdles companies like us face are not the performance of the
systems but the lack of public awareness of a solution.
"Above all, governments' regulatory frameworks, both at state and local level,
haven't adapted to the technology. Some of them actually make it illegal to
install sustainable grey water treatment systems, whilst allowing direct
diversion of grey water (from shower and washing machine)," he added.
Gordon said prior to installing a domestic grey water treatment system, the
state regulator must provide appropriate product certification. Local councils,
mainly through their Health Office, are then responsible for issuing the permit
to install, which is proving difficult for customers and manufacturers.
"We have been consistently delayed during the application process by a lack of
local policy and supporting administrative procedures, which often results in
the application being rejected as it cannot be processed in time," Gordon said.
"We've also encountered council using its power to add additional monitoring
requirements overriding the state's guidance, thus increasing the yearly
operational costs by nearly 400 percent.
"Some local councils are also uncomfortable with the limitations that they have
over the control of the system's discharge," he added.
According to Gordon, part of the solution is for industry players such as New
Water to work with councils to update the government regulations.
"We want to work with government departments and local councils to help them
introduce and/or update their policy to facilitate the uptake of domestic grey
water treatment systems," he said.
"Manufacturers should also adequately identify reference to relevant codes and
standards to help assessing officers with the approval process.
"Another solution is for manufacturers to form a binding contract with
homeowners in which the manufacturer takes responsibility for the performance of
the approved products," Gordon added.
Another recent research by New Water's Technical Expert Roy Olliff demonstrated
that the installation of only 156,000 domestic grey water treatment systems in
Victoria could delay the need for a future desalination plant to be built as
well as save over $1 billion. Olliff also maintained that this Melbourne example
could be applied all around Australia.
Olliff and Gordon, who is one of New Water's founders and inventor of the
company's main product innovations, were invited to present the results of their
study at the On-site '07 Innovation and Technology for On-site Systems
conference held from 25-27 September at the University of New England, Armidale,
NSW.
New Water's patented technologies include the Aqua Reviva grey water treatment
system, the Rain Reviva rainwater bladder tank as well as the Microslim,
Slimline and In-slab tanks. New Water has also recently added solar hot water
systems to its holistic range of domestic water solutions.
For more information on New Water, visit
www.newwater.com.au or call 1300 552 695 (1 300 NEW WATER).
Released for New Water by Dennis Rutzou Public Relations (www.drpr.com.au)
For further information please call Kim Larochelle or Teanne Ryan on (02) 9413
4244.
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