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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 175
Senior Member
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OP
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 175 |
What is the answer to Australia's growing water shortage problem? Queensland's Toowoomba residents are about to find out, as the council seriously considers one of its less popular options. 7.30 Report (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) REPORTER: The answer, according to Toowoomba's mayor, Di Thorley, lies here at the expanding Wurtulla sewage treatment plant just north of the city. After going through filters, the council is proposing the water be put through a complex membrane in a process known as reverse osmosis. This technology is already in use at a water treatment plant in Brisbane for producing distilled water used in industry.
After working on a water-recycling project in California, chemical engineer, Dr Greg Leslie, is advising Toowoomba Council.
DR GREG LESLIE, UNESCO CENTRE FOR MEMBRANE SCIENCE: Reverse osmosis works by forcing water molecules across a dense plastic film. And things like salt and pharmaceuticals can't dissolve into the plastic the same way that the water does.
The use of membranes to treat water to this standard is a good form of drought management.
REPORTER: Dr Leslie explains that after reverse osmosis, the water would go through a third barrier involving ultraviolet light and peroxide, eventually providing the city with a quarter of its water supply.
Once the water is considered to be pure enough to drink, it will be blended with the surface water here at Cooby Dam. Now, the water here at the moment is quite hard - it has a very high mineral content - but the council says the introduction of the softer recycled water will improve considerably the overall quality of this dam water.
REPORTER: How safe is the water after it has gone through those three steps?
DR GREG LESLIE: It's very, very safe. There really is no doubt about the safety of the water at that point by using a whole range of measures. But many of the Toowoomba residents strongly oppose the idea of drinking treated sewage. Let us know what you think by answering the poll question below: ?In regard to drinking sewage treated using the 3 purification stages, would you?
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 137
Senior Member
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 137 |
If they measure the water and maintain the filters why not?
I know that the reverse osmosis is a very good water treatment method and UV I believe kills about everything bacterial wise so I feel that if it is implemented correctly there should not be a problem at all.
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 901
Superstar
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Superstar
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 901 |
I'm a Manager at a Water Utility, and was previously a tech in the Sewage Treatment Group.
There is no issue with this other than people's yuch factor.
I wouldn't hesitate to drink it.
Regards,
Blacknad.
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,136
Megastar
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Megastar
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,136 |
There is likely no drop of water on this planet that wasn't used by something, somewhere, at some point in time, as a toilet.
People need to grow up and stop acting like middle-school children laughing about natural body functions. This is the no different.
Those that don't wish to drink it are welcome to exit the gene pool ... stage left.
DA Morgan
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 330
Senior Member
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Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 330 |
The Capitol of Namibia (Windhoek) has been using such water for decades. The beer they make is very well liked in Southern Africa. It has been tested by so many kidneys that it must be the best!
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