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Recycled water at home

Recycled water is a safe, sustainable resource that helps conserve our drinking water supply. If your home has a dual reticulation system, you’ll have access to recycled water through purple-coloured pipes and taps. Here's what you need to know to use it safely and effectively.

How to identify recycled water

  • Look for purple: All recycled water meters, pipes, and taps are purple.
  • Tap labels: Recycled water taps should be clearly labelled.
  • Removable handles: Outdoor recycled water taps have removable handles. It's a good idea to remove the handle to reduce the risk of children accidentally using the water.

What you can use recycled water for

Recycled water is treated to high standards and meets the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling. It’s safe for many everyday uses:

  • Flushing toilets

  • Washing cars and outdoor surfaces

  • Watering lawns, gardens, and even fruit and vegetable patches
    (tip: rinse produce with drinking water before eating)

  • Washing clothes

  • Construction activities like concrete mixing

What recycled water should not be used for

  • Drinking or cooking

  • Washing dishes or food

  • Bathing, showering, or handwashing

  • Cleaning inside the home

  • Swimming pools, spas, or ponds

  • Evaporative cooling systems

  • Washing pets/animals or giving them water from recycled taps (including chickens)

  • Water play (eg sprinklers, slip 'n slides)

Quick home checks

A cross connection occurs when recycled and drinking water pipes are accidentally connected. To avoid this, please make sure all plumbing works at your home are carried out by a licensed plumber.

A cross-connection check is a quick way to see whether your recycled water is separate from your drinking water. This check should be performed after any changes or additions to the plumbing on your property, or on an annual basis.

Cross-connection check (annual or after plumbing work):

  1. Turn off your drinking water meter (leave the purple recycled water meter on).
  2. Test all indoor taps. If any keep running, they may be incorrectly connected.
  3. Test outdoor taps. Only purple recycled water taps should run.
  4. Turn your drinking water meter back on slowly.

Check your outdoor taps:

  • Vacuum breakers, which stop recycled water flowing back into drinking water pipes, are attached to your outdoor drinking water taps and must not be removed.
  • Previous owners or tenants may have removed vacuum breakers or changed tap handles. Check your outside taps.

Plumbing safety and checks

A licensed plumber ensures:

  • No cross-connections between drinking and recycled water
  • Proper fittings, labels, and colour coding
  • Compliance with the Plumbing Code of Australia

Water quality /cross connection

  • Discoloured water from recycled water tap
  • Salty tasting water
  • Smelly water
  • Water smelling/tasting more chlorinated
  • Increased/decreased pressure from recycled water tap
  • Taste or odour from any taps
  • Water Leak

If you notice any issues with your connection/water quality contact us.

Contact us

If you have questions about your recycled water system, get in touch: 

  • Call us on 1300 657 657 (Monday to Friday, 8am – 5pm)  
  • Use Live Chat during business hours