The tap has been turned on for Stage 1 of the Ballam Recycled Water Project, sending recycled water to maintain sporting grounds in the Frankston City area.
Stage One has made 11 sporting grounds in the Council area essentially independent of potable water, meaning Council can use more of its water allocation on other grounds, and hence more grounds can be ‘drought proofed’.
The project was a joint venture between Council, State and Federal Governments and South East Water.
It will provide recycled water to key community and sporting facilities, by diverting recycled water from the Eastern Treatment Plant.
Frankston City Mayor Chris Richards said the introduction of recycled water will help ensure that parks and sports grounds remain open even if the heavens don’t.
“Council reduced its total drinking water usage by over 40 per cent from 2006 to 2008, and this scheme is expected to save at least a further
47 megalitres per year,” he said.
This will upgrade to 59 million litres per year once Class A is introduced following the completion of the Eastern Water Treatment Plant upgrades.
“Tens of thousands of people from Frankston and elsewhere use these parks and reserves each year, and this pipeline will help ensure they are available for use year round for many years to come,” the Mayor said. “Just as importantly, it helps reduce strain on Melbourne’s water supplies, which have been depleted for some time now.”
Council CEO George Modrich said it is important for the community that sporting grounds and parks stay open.
“Sport is an important fabric of our community and provides kids and families with an important physical and social outlet,” he said.
State Member for Frankston, Alistair Harkness, is pleased the project is now under way.
“The Ballam Park project will save 160 megalitres of drinking water each year and help Victoria achieve its aim of 20 per cent water recycling by the year 2010,” he said.
Council proposes further stages of the scheme, which could see several parks maintained with recycled water to reduce usage of potable water and increase the availability of sports grounds.
