BleepingComputer.com: Recycled Effluent As Drinking Water.

Due to our longest Drought here in our History,our Government is trying to convince the population in Sydney that recycled Sewerage water is 100% safe to drink.We see the normal big Con Job on TV and propaganda.Government Officials smiling as they drink this water for the cameras.Probably natural spring water if the truth is known.Personally, I can't get my head around Drinking anything like this.From what I have seen go down Toilets,for me,not a hope in Hell.Wondering what the Members of BC would do if a glass of this Recycled Sewerage Water placed in front of them,would you drink it???.

This post has been edited by DSTM: 21 May 2007 - 06:59 AM

I understand this has been happening in Singapore for years. If I had a choice between recycled water and no water I think I would choose recycled.

Budapest, on May 21 2007, 08:30 PM, said:

I agree with you 'Budapest' If I was dying of thirst,Yes. This is proposed for household Drinking Water. Nothing definate as yet.The Government is looking at voter reaction. In this scenario,would you drink this water on a Daily basis?

My parents live in Brisbane so I know how bad things are getting down there. I don't think it's ideal to use recycled water, but if that was the only thing stopping the taps from running dry then I'd accept it.

Is it or is it not safe? If its safe then its all in your head. See what I am saying?

I guess I would seek out an independent lab (or numerous labs) to analyze the water. Some assays to request would include: nitrates, organic matter, lead/other heavy metals, chlorine. Besides the presence of heavy metals, I would be very concerned with the presence of biofilm and other organic materials. Obviously the government will say one thing (whatever their motivations are), thus the role of private labs becomes pivotal.

There have been astounding leaps in our understanding of water purification of late; however, independent analysis can never be replaced by governmental oversight!

I hate to say this, but we've all been drinking recycled H2O all our lives for the most part.

I think we need more information on the methods used in your area. E.g. reverse osmosis, distillation, or ?
Both of these processes have been used successfully around the world in poor potable water areas.

There's even a fairly simple system made by a British Company (Berkley) for home use that's recognized world wide.
I've used them around the world myself in some pretty nasty conditions.
(And ... I have nothing to do with the corporation.)

This is a good point by KoanYorel. At some point all water is recycled from something, Law of Conservation of Matter.

However, considering raw sewage, I think there must be a concerted effort to remediate the water using the least intrusive methods (i.e. taking things from the water, rather than adding to it). What methods are the government touting? Those that Koan mentioned? Have you heard about the use of GAC (Granular Activated Carbon)?

IMO, it is feasible to take sewage and make it drinkable, but the infrasructure necessary to acheive this, safely, is cumbersome (in such quantity). There must be other sources of water available?

Oh dod, even the thought of drinking recylced sewage makes me gag!

I can understand using it, after treatment, to water lawns and clean streets and for toilet flushing ... but a system, no matter what system used, is bound to have failure at some time surely - and contaminants including viruses and bacteria and other pathogens could slip into the system or perhaps not be filtered out properly?

Ideally, in area that suffer drought there would be two water systems - one for the above and perhaps irrigation of crops, etc - and one strictly for drinking water. Never going to happen, I suspect - but desperation aside, I'd be hard pressed to willingly drink recycled poop.

JOOC, has desalination been considered? Got a big ocean nearby, and considering the amount of processing needed to make sewage water potable, I woundn't thing desalination would that more expensive.

ddeerrff, on May 22 2007, 03:40 AM, said:

You make a good point,'ddeerrff' regarding Desalination,as one alternative.IMO.
When our Prime Minister said that all Australians in the near future would be drinking recycled Sewerage as drinking Water,I said,WHY.There has to be a better alternative. I haven't had time to research our stats,but roughly 80% of our population live within 100KLMS of the coast.Why not water desalination? I was looking at the UAE Desalination Plants on the web just now and I am quite impressed.Why can't water run off be collected,also? The whole east coast has a mountain range approx 40 miles from the coast.No runoff is collected at all.Every river flows straight into the sea.I am wondering why these rivers can't be harvested at the mouth.I would have thought that we could have huge desalination plants in the ocean and let the power of the sea drive the turbines. I am sure none of these alternatives have been considered. Just my thoughts.
I find this subject very interesting as it is so important,not only for us,as a large part of our Planet is starving for water.
I welcome any input from our Members.

Fresh water collection is probably the most cost effective/efficient even considering the massive amount of storage areas that would be needed, as more simple filtration procedures can be employed.
Straight desalination is actually one of the most expensive methods of fresh water production there is, unless nuc power is the primary source of energy or the "Ole Sol".

Get yourself a "rain barrel"?

Sadly, many countries don't get enough rain to fill rain barrels on a regular basis - although my ancestors surely used this method for both drinking water and irrigation of gardens, etc. (Mind you, that was before all the nasty pollution that would likely come down from the sky along with the rain now - ugh).

Let's hope that desalting sea water increases in efficiency and drops in costs - or shipping costs drop significantly (I could ship you water, DSTM - suspect we get at least 36" of it here each year! ).

Well our astronauts go a few months drinking their recycled waste water. Most of the water they drink is recycled waste water, however, they really don't have much of a choice.

EDIT: Where I live (near a big lake in Ohio; to which there are several), I am the second city to use the water in the river from the lake. The first city get the water drinks it and dumps it's "cleaned" waste water into the river and we drink their "crappy" water. So what is the difference in my scenario as compared to just drinking one's own "cleansed" waste water.

This post has been edited by yano: 21 May 2007 - 03:13 PM

US Military Survival Technique:

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This has been verified to me by at least 4 sources (2 Marines, 2 Army Soldiers). They say its not the greatest way but you will survive.

Isn't Sydney on the Ocean. Ocean water can be treated and would go over better with the public.