Adelaide recycled water a festival first
by Cecilia Harris
This year’s Garden of Unearthly Delights festival in Adelaide used 455 kilolitres of recycled water, marking the first time recycled water infrastructure was used at a major public event.
With the support of Green Adelaide’s Water Sustainability Grants, Adelaide City Council installed ten new recycled water access points throughout Rundle Park/Kadlitpina, enabling connection of public amenities, irrigation systems and hoses for flushing, watering lawns and reducing dust.
The $1 million infrastructure investment in the park included supplying the Garden of Unearthly Delights with recycled water, with more than 47% of its water requirements now coming from a sustainable resource.
Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said that the initiative is the first widespread use of recycled water at a public event, a trend the council hopes to continue into the future.
“That new infrastructure allowed us to reduce both water costs and wastage and I thank Minister Speirs and Green Adelaide for getting behind this project,” Verschoor said.
“[We marked] World Environment Day on 5 June. I’m proud to say we were the first council to offer recycled water for public events, which is part of our goal to be a climate ready organisation and community.”
Premier of South Australia and Minister for Environment and Water David Speirs said the investment is important for ensuring communities have access to green space and amenities that are sustainable and water-wise.
“Green Adelaide’s Water Sustainability Grants are focused on helping councils increase and improve the city’s green spaces and the creation of a cooler, biodiverse urban environment that’s more resilient to climate change,” Speirs said.
“South Australians can all play their part in tackling the changing climate, but it is up to governments to lead the way and it’s great to see the City of Adelaide delivering a project that will have long-term environmental benefits.”
One of many firsts for Adelaide, this water conservation innovation follows the City of Adelaide Council working with SA Water to be the first council to use recycled water to irrigate back in 2009.
City of Adelaide is also the first council to be approved by SA Health to allow access to recycled water for use in public spaces.
