Australian Water Management Review Vol 1 2010 | Page 44

South East
Queensland’s
first Class A+ recycled
water residential
development is here

The Gold Coast is leading the way in sustainable water
and wastewater management.
Class A+ recycled water is being pumped to more than
4000 dual reticulated homes, businesses and schools in
Pimpama and Coomera on the northern Gold Coast
– one of Australia’s fastest-growing areas.

It is the first initiative of its kind in South East Queensland
and part of Council’s Gold Coast Waterfuture Strategy to
sustainably manage and conserve water.
The launch of Class A+ recycled water in Pimpama and
Coomera in late 2009 has bought to fruition Gold Coast City
Council’s Pimpama Coomera Waterfuture (PCWF) Master Plan.
Initially, the project connected more than 4000 homes to
the Class A+ recycled water network, with separate purple
pipes, taps and hoses. Another 350 homes are scheduled for
connection later in 2010.
Class A+ recycled water is not for drinking, but can be used
to flush toilets, water gardens, wash cars, fight fires and
for construction and irrigation. Similar systems, have been
designed at Rouse Hill in Sydney and Mawson Lakes in
Adelaide.
The PCWF Master Plan was developed in 2004 with the aim of
creating a fully integrated urban water cycle management plan
for the 7000-hectare Pimpama-Coomera region.
The area is still largely undeveloped, making it an ideal place to
establish a community with positive attitudes and behaviours
towards water and water conservation initiatives.
The Director of Gold Coast Water, Richard Went, said the
PCWF Master Plan was internationally recognised, having won
many awards and setting a benchmark for water, wastewater
and stormwater management in Queensland.
“The plan won the International Water Association’s Water
Congress Global Grand Prize for water planning in 2006
and was runner up in 2008 in the Practical Realisation of
Sustainable Urban Water Management category.” said Mr
Went.
“Gold Coast Water has ensured that the Class A+ recycled
water is backed by state-of-the-art infrastructure.
“An $82 million recycled water treatment plant has been built
at Pimpama to ensure the Class A+ recycled water is treated
to quality standards,”
“In addition, a recycled water reservoir has been built at Upper
Coomera, alongside a potable reservoir to store water for the
area’s ever-growing population.”
The PCWF Master Plan includes many supportive water
management systems.
•

Water Management Review 2010

Rainwater tanks are plumbed into the cold water