Guidelines for validating treatment processes for pathogen reduction – supporting Class A water recycling schemes in Victoria (Consultation draft)

Page content: Your submission | Context

The Department of Health with support from Water Futures Pty Ltd and Smart Water Fund has developed Draft Guidelines for validating treatment processes for pathogen reduction: supporting Class A water recycling schemes in Victoria.

Guidelines for validating treatment processes for pathogen reduction (Consultation draft) (1.5 mb, pdf)

Your submission

The Department of Health is now welcoming submissions on these draft guidelines. The consultation period closes Monday 1st November 2010 and your submission can be sent through to: water@health.vic.gov.au                   

or

Water Policy Section
Environmental Health Unit
Department of Health
GPO Box 4541
Melbourne VIC 3001

Please use this excel spreadsheet template for submission.

Template for submissions (22kb, excel)

Context

The past five years have seen significantly increased use of Class A recycled water in Victoria for dual pipe residential developments, public open space and food crop irrigation, toilet flushing in commercial buildings, industrial applications and even snow-making.

Given the potential lack of exposure barriers to the public in Class A recycled water schemes the evidence supporting the capability of treatment processes to produce water of an appropriate microbial quality that will be protective of public health is of paramount importance. This evidence is provided through the process of validation.

These draft guidelines have been developed to document the evidence based approach which underpins existing Class A recycled water schemes and to reflect best available science. These draft guidelines have undergone international and national peer review and are now released for broader consultation.

These draft guidelines will be an important tool for:

• Protecting the health and wellbeing of the community
• Protecting the integrity of existing and future investments in water recycling
• Facilitating efficiencies in decision making and the endorsement process
• Facilitating research to reduce uncertainty and enhance our knowledge base.

These draft guidelines support the implementation of the Guidelines for environmental management: Use of reclaimed water (EPA Victoria, publication 464.2), Guidelines for environmental management: Dual pipe water recycling – health and environmental risk management (EPA Victoria, publication 1015), and the Australian guidelines for water recycling 2006.

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