Recycled water comes to you through purple pipes that are completely separate from our drinking water. You'll know if you have access to recycled water at your property if you have a purple water meter at your place, or your toilet, garden and laundry taps are purple.
The purple colour denotes an industry standard for the use of reclaimed water and highlights this is not fit for human consumption. The reclaimed water is supplied via calibrated drippers within the pipe, each of these are spaced every 300mm.
Plumbing codes and standards
Residential sites with recycled water have purple pipes, removable outdoor taps and warning signs on taps. Industrial sites can have different arrangements, including alternative colour coding or different on-site warnings.
Recycled water at your property
Recycled water is only available on properties where purple taps and pipes have been installed. The purple tap can be found outside your property. Purple taps on your property must have a sign on them that says they are recycled water taps and should not be used for drinking.
Recycled Water is supplied to new properties through a separate pipe network which is colour coded purple for easy identification.
Purple colored pipe is used to identify and distribute reclaimed or recycled water. It was first adopted by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) California-Nevada Section in 1997.
The blue box or blue colour is generally used for the disposal of paper and card so this includes old paper from the printer, old birthday cards, cardboard from opening household items, etc. The green/red box or colour is generally used for recycling glass, bottles, jars, food, drink cans, and plastic bottles.
Class A recycled water is produced from water that is discharged from your home's shower, toilet, sink and washing machine, so it is not suitable for: Drinking. Cooking, food preparation or other kitchen use. Showering and bathing (including bidets)
You'll know if you have access to recycled water at your property if you have a purple water meter at your place, or your toilet, garden and laundry taps are purple. All taps should have signs that say 'Recycled water – do not drink.
Potassium permanganate is a safe chemical used by the municipal to remove bacteria and unwanted chemicals from our water supplies. Too much of it will turn your water pink or purple.
Recycled water is treated wastewater that has undergone advanced treatment to produce water that is perfectly safe for uses such as washing machines, toilet flushing and irrigation. The advanced treatment process removes contaminants, viruses, bacteria and pathogens.
You can't drink this recycled water but it is a great resource because it can be used for flushing toilets, washing clothes, washing cars, pathways and pets, for watering gardens including edible crops and for irrigation, business and industry.
There are lots of social, environmental and economic reasons to use recycled water: It's 38% cheaper to use than drinking water, saving money on your water bill. Saves drinking water in your laundry, garden and toilets and helps protect our precious water supply. It's safe, high quality and always in supply.
Ballina Shire Council's website at ballina.nsw.gov.au
Can I drink recycled water? Recycled water is not recommended for some uses such as drinking, bathing and cooking but should you accidentally use recycled water in this way, it is unlikely you will fall ill.
Polybutylene pipes are flexible and will bend easily with just a little pressure. To find the pipe, look around your water heater, beneath your sink, and around your toilet. In some cases, you may have polybutylene pipes around the water meter or main water shut-off valve. These pipes will be exposed and easy to spot.
The best way to identify reclaimed water is through the purple color of its delivery systems (officially known as Pantone Purple 522C). This includes rigid and flexible piping, meter boxes and meters, and sprinkler/irrigation heads.
7 Healthiest Water to Drink
Recycled water should not be used for filling swimming pools and spas or for watering edible plants.
Styrofoam: Products made from styrofoam such as meat trays, coffee cups, or fast-food containers cannot be recycled and do not biodegrade. Place items like this safely into the trash as they can easily break into tiny pieces, harming wildlife and contributing to the rise in microplastics.
Yes, commercial car washes, especially those like Magic Hand Carwash, are designed with advanced water recycling systems and treat wastewater to prevent pollutants from entering waterways, unlike home washing.
Both recycled water and drinking water can smell if left in pipes long enough. It is good practice to flush all taps if they have not been used for a long time.
Recycled water has higher levels of nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen than drinking water, so when watering take care not to overwater nutrient sensitive plants. The higher level of nutrients found in recycled water means the need for additional fertiliser may also be reduced.
PET/PETE products CAN be recycled.
Discover the different color codes used for segregation of waste, including red for biohazard, yellow for radioactive, blue and white for non-hazardous, and black for hazardous waste. Improve safety for your staff and protect the environment with proper segregation and disposal of medical waste.
The late Jeff Cooper, USMC retired, developed a system that described the different possible levels of awareness based on color. Cooper's Color Codes of Awareness are divided into 5 possible categories, white, yellow, orange, red and black.