Congratulations, you are connected to an environmentally friendly water system, setting new benchmarks for sustainability.

Transcription

1 Home Owners Guide

2 Contents Welcome... 3 Contact us... 3 About us... 4 Licensed sustainable water utility... 5 Environmentally friendly... 5 Safe and reliable... 5 The water purification process... 6 Highest Australian standards... 6 How it works... 7 Your recycled water system... 8 My recycled water system... 8 Wastewater and sewer collection tank... 9 How my recycled water system work... 9 Recycled water supply... 9 Boundary kit Using recycled water Recycled water is safe to use You cannot drink recycled water Recycled water is exempt from water restrictions Tips Rainwater & Stormwater Power Outage Maintaining your recycled water system Only licensed plumbers can repair, maintain and work on the recycled water system Dos and Don ts What to do with waste Worm farms & Composting Going on Holidays Repairs Warranty and repair costs Blocks or burst pipes Ensuring access to your tank Ensuring access to your meter Dogs and other safety risks Excavations and building Danger: Underground electrical wires Caution: turn off power before excavating Building a garage, carport or garden shed Building an extension Landscaping your garden Installing a swimming pool or large spa Your benefits Your bills Paying you bill s & ebills Pay online with Direct Debit Monthly payments Fees and charges Electricity usage from water pump

3 Welcome Congratulations, you are connected to an environmentally friendly water system, setting new benchmarks for sustainability. Welcome to Pitt Town Water s sustainable water community. We are providing Vermont homes with the highest Australian quality recycled water for toilet flushing, clothes washing, and irrigation. Located on the corner of Bootles Lane and Johnston Street in the heart of Vermont, Pitt Town Water is enabling households to reduce drinking water consumption by up to up to 70 per cent. Our local sustainable water network harvests wastewater from bathrooms, kitchens and laundries, purifies it to the highest Australian standards at our local recycled water Centre, and returns it to homes for a range of non-drinking purposes. Contact us General Information If you would like to talk to us about our recycled water network, bills, or other information please us at enquiry@pitttownwater.com.au or call us on ing us is just as effective as calling us. Emergency In an emergency please call us on In case of an emergency please call

4 About us At Pitt Town Water, our aim is to create communities that understand and embrace responsible water management. By using recycled water you are reducing the amount of drinking water you would normally use, saving precious water supplies as well as money on your water bills. Remember, Pitt Town Water recycled water is 10 cents cheaper per kl than Sydney Water s drinking water. Recycled water is a secure water source that protects the community from drought. That means water restrictions will not apply to recycled water. By replacing drinking water with recycled water for all non-drinking uses, such as watering the garden, washing the car, toilet flushing, clothes washing machine use, you are doing your bit to create a more sustainable future. Our recycled water network also saves energy and carbon by reusing wastewater that would otherwise be pumped over long distances and released into the ocean creating environmental damage. 4

5 Licensed sustainable water utility Pitt Town Water provides recycled water and sewage services to the community of Vermont, Pitt Town. We are a private water utility licensed under the Water Industry Competition Act (WIC Act) The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) administers the Act and ensures the highest consumer protection. NSW Health and Planning also approve the operations of private water utilities under the Act, and the NSW Minister for Finance and Services signs off on all licenses. WIC Act is catalysing a new private water market, driving competition and importantly water sustainable innovation. Environmentally friendly We are sustainable because we: Reuse wastewater at source Convert wastewater into a safe, colourless and odourless water supply Prevents thousands of tonnes of sewerage from being pumped into the ocean or flared causing environmental damage Create a secure water source into the future Enhance local ecology Use green recycled water technology including uses Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) and UV technology producing recycled water that exceeds Australia s highest standards. MBR does not directly produce methane or carbon dioxide emissions. In addition, by recycling wastewater it Our Pitt Town Water facility in Bootles Lane does not smell or make any disturbing noise. Safe and reliable Pitt Town Water produces the highest quality recycled water - exceeding national recycled water quality guidelines. It can be used for all non-drinking purposes such as watering the garden and lawn, flushing toilets, in the washing machine, and for car washing. Recycled water will also be available for irrigating parks and sports fields in Vermont. Learn more about recycled water at Mythbusters at Your drinking water will be provided by Sydney Water through separate pipes. 5

6 The water purification process Highest Australian standards Pitt Town Water's processes meet strict Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling set out by Federal and State Governments. Wastewater is cleaned to the highest Australian standards, undergoing seven extensive filtration and purification processes including Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) and Ultra Violet (UV). 1. Wastewater Screening Plastics and rubbish are taken out of the wastewater 6

7 2. Anaerobic Processing After the wastewater is screened it enters the biological processing tank for anaerobic processing. Natural bugs break down the wastewater. 3. Aerobic Air Air is added to the wastewater, creating new bugs which continue the break down process. 4. Chemicals Added Four chemicals - Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hypochlorite, Aluminium Sulphate and Acetic Acid - are added at different stages if required during processing. 5. Membrane Fibres Purified water is sucked through microscopic membranes that block out bugs - removing bacteria, pathogens and all other impurities. The holes in the fibres are so tiny, bacteria and viruses are unable to penetrate and are forced out keeping the recycled water clean. 6. Ultra Violet Water goes through the Ultra Violet purification process neutralising any remaining impurities. 7. Chlorine Chlorine is added to the water for the final purification process. How it works 1. Wastewater is taken from bathrooms, toilets, laundries and kitchens. It is recycled to the highest Australian standards at our local recycled water Centre. 2. Purified water is returned to homes, offices and shops through purple recycled water pipes connected to clothes washing machine cold taps, toilets and selected outdoor taps. 7

8 Your recycled water system Recycled water is an unrestricted and secure water resource, available even in times of prolonged drought. Safety signs such as Recycled water do not drink are required on taps to help ensure recycled water is used appropriately. Your plumber must install these signs. Your recycled water system sits on your property and is connected to the Pitt Town recycled water network. It is monitored remotely by Pitt Town Water and powered through an electrical connection to your home. My recycled water system 1. Wastewater and Sewer Collection System Wastewater Collection Tank with Grinder pump Boundary kit and property isolation value Control panel and telemetry system 2. Recycled Water Supply Recycled Water Meter Recycled Water Pipes coloured purple 8

9 Wastewater and sewer collection tank The wastewater and sewer collection tank in the photo on the right will normally be situated at the front boundary of your property and buried below ground level. You will see a green lid at ground level representing the tank, a black lid representing your boundary kit and a small panel on the wall of your house that supplies power to the pump. The collection tank empties itself automatically. There should be no smell or noise from the system. IMPORTANT: The collection tank cover is safe to walk over but vehicles and heavy objects must be kept off. How my recycled water system work Wastewater and sewage flows by gravity into the wet well section of a polyethylene tank. As the wastewater level increases in the tank, a level transducer device sends a signal to the remote controller to turn on the grinder pump inside the dry well section of the tank. The pump action draws wastewater and sewage up the suction pipe and into the grinder pump where the integral grinding wheel or macerator turns the organic solids, paper and other soft material into a slurry of small particles. This macerated sewage is pumped out through a discharge pipe into the pressure sewer system. It will continue pumping until the level falls. The transducer device will then signal the controller to turn off the grinder pump, reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. This is a fully automatic process and requires no input from you apart from ensuring the controller is turned on. If the system fails, a signal will be sent via the telemetry system advising Pitt Town Water. We will send a repair crew to investigate the issue. IMPORTANT: Your recycled water system is powered from your home. Never turn off the power to the control panel except in emergency situations. Recycled water supply Recycled water comes in a separate pipe to your home. This means there are two water supplies: Drinking water and Recycled water Recycled water comes from Pitt Town Water and is provided to households through underground pipes. You will have a purple coloured pipe upstand and lockable valve at your boundary if you are supplied with recycled water. This will usually be alongside your drinking water upstand and water meter or wastewater collection tank. 9

10 Boundary kit Between your property, recycled water system, and the recycled water network there are two valves, a one way valve and an isolation valve. These valves are used during maintenance and emergency to: Prevent flow from other properties entering your property Allow your property to be isolated for repairs Allow flushing of the system if required Under no circumstances should you operate these valves. Using recycled water Recycled water is safe to use Make sure you read the Dos and Don t of using recycled water. Recycled water is high quality water and can be used for the following: Flushing toilets Clothes washing machines Watering the garden Watering vegetable gardens Washing cars, houses (external), outdoor furniture Ornamental ponds and water features. Fire fighting IMPORTANT: Vegetables should always be washed with drinking water before use. 10

11 You cannot drink recycled water Recycled water is clean, does not smell, is safe and monitored to the strictest standards, however it is not permitted for drinking or personal uses such as cooking or bathing. If you do accidentally drink recycled water, it is unlikely you will get sick, however if there are signs of illness seek medical advice. Recycled water is used in residential homes around the world, including Singapore, UK, US, Japan and India. Melbourne and Adelaide have recycled water, and in NSW the Rouse Hill dual reticulation scheme has been supplying recycled water to more than 15,000 residents since Find out more about Recycled Water in Australia. Recycled water is exempt from water restrictions Water restrictions do not apply to your recycled water system. Using recycled water means you can maintain green lawns throughout the year. Sometimes the water pressure may reduce, this is usually during periods of high demand, however you will not be subjected to water savings rules that have been applied to drinking water supplies during previous drought periods. Tips Wash the car with recycled water on the lawn, if possible. Washing the car on the lawn waters the lawn as well as reducing runoff into stormwater drains. Recycled water has a high level of nutrients, which is good for the garden and lawn. Notify contractors about your recycled water system. Any builders or contractors undertaking work on your recycled water system need to understand where recycled water infrastructure is positioned. Rainwater & Stormwater The recycled water network is not designed for rain water or storm water. Importantly, Pitt Town Water prohibits the discharge of storm water into any sewerage system. Power Outage From time to time power outages occur. Don t forget your recycled water system runs on power from your house. If there is a power service interruption please minimise your water usage. You can do this by: Keeping showers brief Minimising the amount of water going into the system Not leaving taps running 11

12 Toilets can still be flushed and normal kitchen activities are fine, try to minimise use. If it appears the power interruption will be longer than eight hours, Pitt Town Water may visit your property to provide power to the system. Please ensure any gates on your property to access the Recycled Water System are unlocked and animals are secure. Maintaining your recycled water system Only licensed plumbers can repair, maintain and work on the recycled water system Pitt Town Water inspects all houses during the construction phase to ensure recycled water and drinking water pipes have been plumbed correctly. It is good practice to isolate the recycled water main and the drinking water main in your front yard one at a time, and once a year. Check the supplies are connected to the correct outlets, ensuring that there are no cross connections. If you have queries please consult your plumber. For more information go to Plumbers and Builders on our website Dos and Don ts As a user of our sustainable recycled water system, you have some important responsibilities. Remember anything you put down the toilet, bathroom, kitchen or laundry sink comes back to our recycled water Centre. Some things are not meant to go into the recycled water network and can block the system. They can damage the grinder pump, endanger our workers and cause environmental pollution. Help keep our system as healthy as you can by reading our Dos and Don ts on our website and outlines below: Please DO NOT put the following into your toilet, kitchen, bathroom or laundry sink. Glass, metal, wood, rocks, seafood shells, kitty litter Cloth or synthetic material, nappies, socks, pantyhose, clothes, plastic objects Any chemical other than standard cleaning or laundry products, including toxic, caustic, acidic or poisonous substances Degreasing solvents, paints (water soluble or oil based) Explosive or flammable material including hydrocarbon fuels, paint thinner or anti-freeze Oils and grease, milk, food scraps, cooking oil Hair clippings Tampons, sanitary pads, condoms 12

13 The recycled water network will accept the same materials as a normal sewer main or gravity sewerage system provided by Sydney Water or local council. Sink waste traps are easily installed in the kitchen and bathroom to help filter out inappropriate items. If you are in doubt about what you can put into your recycled water system, please call and speak to our team, or visit What to do with waste There are lots of options to get rid of waste. Instead of flushing your waste down the sink or toilet, please look at the options below: Paints, chemicals, hazardous waste - please go to the Hawkesbury City Council website for more information. You can also talk to your local hardware or paint shop about paint waste. Food waste - you can start a compost or a worm farm to help turn your food waste into good quality soil. They are easy to set up and maintain, see below. Nappy bins - there are lots of nappy bins available that can sanitise and store used nappies. Worm farms & Composting Food and garden organic waste makes up 40 to 50 percent of waste sent to landfill in the Hawkesbury. A worm farm is a fantastic way to minimise food waste by turning your organic kitchen waste into nutrient-rich fertiliser for your plants, gardens and soils. Worms eat organic waste and turn it into liquid fertiliser this can then be used on gardens and in pot plants to keep them healthy. Composting is a great way to reduce organic waste and improve soils. Hawkesbury City Council can help you get started. Download the NSW Government Easy Guide to Composting below. Going on Holidays If you are leaving your home for an extended period, it s a good idea to flush water down the drains before you leave by having a shower, or bath, or putting on a load of washing. This will activate the grinder pump in the collection tank and flush clean water through the system while you are away for several weeks. Repairs Warranty and repair costs Pitt Town Water owns, operates and maintains the pressure sewerage equipment on your property, along with the purple recycled water network, as detailed in the diagram on page 8. Pitt Town Water is not responsible for the sanitary drain to the wastewater collection tank, or the extension of the house power cable between your power box and the control panel. 13

14 Operating and servicing the recycled water network is included in the sewerage service charge paid by you the property owner to Pitt Town Water. The exceptions to this will be if you have: Discharged something into the wastewater collection tank that you have been advised not to (see maintaining Your Recycled Water System section in this guide). Damaged or interfered wastewater collection tank or its controls. Damaged or interfered with the property discharge line or property boundary kit assembly. Sealed off or covered the venting to the wastewater collection tank Blocks or burst pipes The recycled water network is remotely monitored and controlled via a wireless telemetry system. In the event of a wastewater collection tank failure, a signal will automatically be sent through to maintenance personnel who will respond to the call out. If the maintenance personnel find the wastewater pipes on your property blocked, you must arrange for a licensed plumber or drainer to clear it, at your cost. If you have caused a blockage in our system, we will clear it but you may be charged for repairs. Wet ground or water eruptions from the ground between the collection tank and property boundary kit may indicate a burst property discharge line. If the property discharge line is damaged, please call our emergency number, Ensuring access to your tank Your Wastewater Collection Tank is buried in a suitable position for taking wastewater and sewerage, with the lid slightly above ground level. There is no need to remove this lid to access the pump unit in the dry well or the collection area in the wet well. However access must be ensured for the maintenance technician. Do not plant shrubs or trees within 1 metre of the tank lid. Do not place objects or structures on or over the lid. Do not allow grass or other coverings to obscure the lid. Do not drive or park vehicles on the lid. Ensuring access to your meter Obstructions such as trees and landscaped walls can stop Pitt Town Water from undergoing essential maintenance of the wastewater tank or meter. Sometimes equipment is unintentionally blocked by renovations and landscaping. 14

15 Pitt Town Water must have access to the control panel, wastewater tank and meter in order to read, test or maintain, or remove and replace as necessary. Please make sure: A minimum of two metres of clear space around the control panel, wastewater tank and meter box. No permanent obstructions, such as trees, bushes, walls in front of or near the meter. Fences and gates to be built behind rather than in front of the control panel and meter boxes. All electronic meters must be free from obstructions to enable Pitt Town Water access for critical works and in times of emergencies. By ensuring service contractors can access and read meters safely, customers can avoid having their usage estimated on past consumption. Dogs and other safety risks Even the kindest of pets can turn on strangers please make sure our contractors can work safely on your property. This also includes removing rubbish, spiders and insect nests or overgrown shrubs. Keep dogs safely secured during the day or place them in a different area to where the meter box is located Call us on if you have an unrestrained dog Leave your gate unlocked Do not use private padlocks or locking devises on the meter box. This ensures our contractors and emergency crews can read the meter especially in the case of fire. Trim back your shrubs and gardens Remove wasp, spiders and insect nests Remove rubbish Importantly, do not fence in control panels and meter boxes - build fences and gates behind, rather than in front of network equipment. We have a range of internal warnings and procedures in place. These include a dog register to alert service contractors before entering a property please make sure you comply. Excavations and building Danger: Underground electrical wires Electrical power lines and alarm wires are buried underground between the tank and the remote controller. If you need to dig in this area, contact your builder or Dial Before you Dig to locate the lines. Caution: turn off power before excavating Contact with live power lines can cause death or serious injury. A power isolating switch on the side of the control box must be turned off before any excavation begins. You also need to 15

16 be aware of the inlet pipe running from your premises to the tank and discharge pipe running between your tank to the sewer line outside your property. Building a garage, carport or garden shed No temporary or permanent structure can be built over or near the property discharge line or the Wastewater Collection Tank without approval from Pitt Town Water. Building an extension The property discharge line can be moved to extend the house or build a swimming pool, shed etc. When contemplating any modifications to your property, you should check the property sewerage service diagram to locate the sewerage equipment and plan your work with that in mind. This type of work requires a Development Application to be lodged with Hawkesbury City Council. Call us on to know what is involved in relocating any of our assets. Landscaping your garden It is important that there is enough space available to access the Wastewater Collection Tank at all times, in case servicing is required. Landscaping over the property discharge line is permitted, provided the collection tank cover remains accessible for service and is not covered. If the property discharge line requires repairs, Pitt Town Water will need to access it. If landscaping needs to be removed, Pitt Town Water will try to minimise disruption to the garden. Installing a swimming pool or large spa If you are adding a pool or large spa to your residence, you need to ensure you have consulted with Pitt Town Water and Hawkesbury City Council to obtain the necessary approvals. Pitt Town Water requires all swimming pools to have cartridge type filters or equivalent, to ensure no backwashing water enters the sewage system. Please discuss this with Pitt Town Water on , or your plumber Important: You cannot fill your swimming pool with recycled water. Customers wishing to install a swimming pool or spa system into a Pitt Town Water service area with a Low Pressure Sewer (LPS) system must abide by these conditions: 16

17 Any connection to the LPS system must be limited in flow rate to less than 0.6 l/s ensuring the LPS system can deal with the flow entering into the pot. This can be achieved by installing an intermediary buffer tank which controls the discharge flow rate to 0.6 l/s. For swimming pool backwash water - if neither of the above conditions can effectively be met, then the pool filter system will need to be a cartridge filter. This will ensure no flow greater than 0.6 l/s enters the LPS pot. Any flows greater than this limit are not acceptable and are likely to cause a system overflow situation Your benefits Our recycled water network brings many benefits that improve the value of your property: We re-use waste water and sewerage that would be pumped often over 100s of kms to be flared or released into the ocean polluting the marine environment; We conserve thousands of litres of drinking water annually in each home; We give communities grater control over their water use and supply; We don t flush drinking water down the toilet; We provide local councils & communities with a new secure source of recycled water We provide recycled water to keep recreational facilities green, particularly during drought and in the middle of summer; We create different recycled water qualities for different uses such as irrigating gardens, cooling generators air conditioning, washing machines and firefighting. Our systems have been designed to address climate change by reducing drinking water consumption and energy use; Our systems are designed to capture changes in information technology ensuing customers get access to up to date and relevant information about their water usage; Our systems are designed to capture changes in customer requirements; Our systems are designed to embrace new technologies into the future, giving customers and communities the best possible water services. Your bills Paying you bill Once you connect for service from Pitt Town Water all the information you need is online. We will not fill your letterbox with unnecessary mail, brochures or promotions. As part of our drive 17

18 to reduce paper and our commitment to streamline and improve the flow of data and information between us and our customers all correspondence will be ed. We will also use remote and electronic systems to reduce delays and lost paper trains. Please consider the environment before printing out this document. s & ebills We will you regular updates about your account, our business and things that affect you. You can us any time. Emergencies please call our team is on call 24/7 ready to assist you. General Information please us at or call us on Connecting please us at or call us on Pay online with Direct Debit Once you connect to the Pitt Town Recycled Water Network you will need to set up a Direct Debit to pay your bill each month. Monthly payments Monthly payments are new for water utilities. Pitt Town Water will deduct your payments each month saving you money and the need to outlay large amounts of money in one transaction. Fees and charges Fees and Charges are the same as the fees charged by Hawkesbury City Council and Sydney Water. Refer to Fees and Charges on Electricity usage from water pump Annual power costs for the water pump are equal to the cost of boiling an electric kettle which is approximately an additional $36 per household per annum. Questions enquiry@pitttownwater.com.au Call ing us is just as effective as calling us. 18