By Cam Lucadou-Wells
EVERY drop of drinking, rain and storm water counts at a cutting-edge housing estate in Lyndhurst.
The Aquarevo estate, which was jointly developed by South East Water and Villawood Properties, will boast technology such as an on-site wastewater recycling plant and rainwater tanks that use data from the Bureau of Meteorology.
According to the developers, each household on the 460-lot estate on Boland Drive is expected to slash their use of drinking water by 70 per cent and reduce stormwater run-off by 25 per cent.
For South East Water, it was a chance to showcase leading home water sustainability technology on a former water purification plant site.
It shows there’s a “better way” to use water without sacrificing health and liveability, SEW managing director Kevin Hutchings said.
Other saving features are a rain-to-hot water collection system – in which rainwater is stored, screened, filtered, and UV and heat treated before supplying hot water taps for showers, baths and laundries.
If the rainwater tank runs dry, drinking water is automatically supplied to the hot water system.
The fully-enclosed water recycling plant will treat all wastewater from the estate to produce the highest grade recycled water.
The Class A recycled water will be used in toilets, gardens and, as an option, washing machines.
South East Water technology called OneBox will be installed on the walls of each home, allowing householders to monitor all energy and water use on an app.
It will use Bureau of Meteorology data to decide if rainwater should be released from the tank before forecasted rains. This helps reduce stormwater flooding and keeps the tank water fresh, according to South East Water.
The technology also controls the temperature of hot water and allows South East Water to regulate flows in the estate’s pressure sewer network.
Each home will be fitted with solar panels and will be set among copious wetlands and open space.
Ms Neville and Cranbourne MP Jude Perera opened the estate’s Aquarevo Discovery Centre, with the help of Lyndhurst Primary School students giving a rendition of Singin’ in the Rain, on 16 November.
“We all need to reduce our reliance on drinking water as we deal with the challenges of population growth and climate change,” Ms Neville said.
Villawood Properties director Rory Costello said it was a “standout example” of collaboration between the government and private sectors.
“This will be a high quality residential community where families can positively impact the environment just by moving in.”
