Community & Business
9 September, 2021
Waterwater recycling working for Douglas Shire residents
OVER 200 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of recycled water was used to irrigate and maintain the luscious farms and green of Douglas Shire Councils (DSC) golf courses and farmland in the last financial year.
OVER 200 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of recycled water was used to irrigate and maintain the luscious farms and green of Douglas Shire Councils (DSC) golf courses and farmland in the last financial year.
About 540ML of recycled water was repurposed in the 2020/21 financial year by DSC using their extensive wastewater treatment processes to remove waste from water, ensuring it can be safely reused or returned to the environment.
2037 wet tonnes of dewatered sludge was taken by contractors and used as organic fertilizer and soil conditioner across a range of farms in the shire.
DSC Mayor Michael Kerr said the Mossman and Port Douglas Wastewater Treatment Plants played a vital role in everyday lives.
"The amount of work that goes into handling your waste once it goes down the drain and how we then use it in practical ways is truly mind-boggling,” he said.
“I would like to encourage the community to watch the educational videos on Council’s website to get an in-depth understanding of how the treatment plants work.
“We know how important protecting our environment is and it is fantastic to see all the work that is done behind the scenes.”
Wastewater comes from residences, local commercial and light industrial sites, such as clubs, caravan parks, restaurants, commercial laundries, oil company retail outlets and hospitals.
However, it does not include roof water or surface runoff which many people use and recycle into drinking water.
