Determination of water usage rates and water usage patterns in a residential recycling initiative in South Australia

Larger populations and changing patterns of water usage globally have resulted in the investigation and implementation of more sustainable uses of recycled water. New Haven Village on the Le Fevre Peninsula, South Australia, provides an example of an innovative wastewater reuse initiative. Storm water, grey water and sewage are collected and treated at an onsite, small package treatment plant, then recycled for irrigation and toilet flushing. This research describes a case study, which investigated the amount of water (both recycled and potable) used within a sample of eight individual houses. Through the monitoring of meters at these eight individual dwellings on nine residential blocks, patterns of water flow throughout the village were also examined at comparable intervals over a three-year period. The total water consumption in these sample homes at New Haven Village was below state, interstate and international averages on a per capita basis. This study identified a 30% reduction in total water usage compared to the state average, and a 61% reduction in potable mains water usage per person. On average, almost half (50%) of the water used in each household was recycled water. The patterns of water flow throughout the village identified a correlation between the inflow to the treatment plant and the outflow to the village for irrigation and toilet flushing, and to the adjacent oval for irrigation. Differing trends emerged for weekday and weekend water usage