In your community

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Understanding recycled waterPurchasing or moving into a recycled water area?

What you need to know

You need to know what you can use recycled water for (washing clothes and flushing toilets indoors, washing cars and watering gardens outdoors, as well as your rights and responsibilities.

The property statement issued by Yarra Valley Water (which will form part of your Contract of Sale) will advise you of this.

If you are moving into a completed home, you will receive a Welcome Kit advising of your rights and responsibilities.   View a copy of our summary charter for customers in recycled water areas here.

Please bear in mind that recycled water may not be immediately available.

You must use a registered plumber for all plumbing works to ensure that the recycled water is only connected to the laundry, toilets and outside taps.

You must also remove the handles when external taps are not being used and ensure warning signs above recycled water taps are visible and legible at all times.


Put your mind at ease

The recycled water plumbing and taps in your home have been thoroughly checked by the Plumbing Industry Commission at the time of house construction to ensure that there is no cross connection between the drinking water and recycled water.

If you wish to check that the water supply has been connected properly, you can carry out a simple test to check your drinking and recycled water supplies. 


Special notice:

From July 2010, Class A recycled water can be used for washing clothes. It is compulsory for all new residences built from this date to have a recycled water tap installed during construction in the laundry for the clothes washing machine, in addition to the hot water and cold water taps.  While the use of recycled water for clothes washing is optional, the average household can reduce their use of drinking water by 12% in winter and up to 10% in summer by using recycled water instead.