Expecting to need another water source by the end of next decade, Canberra's water authority is considering whether the city will need to supplement the drinking water supply with purified treated sewage water in the future.
It would be quite a bit, as you’d effectively be duplicating the water main infrastructure. In greenfield developments it would be more cost effective as you’re already digging for one set of pipes so installing another alongside wouldn’t be so expensive (also less chance of pinging other infrastructure as it’s either not there or better marked, and new suburbs won’t have gas mains to dodge).
NSW at least has found though that you can reduce toilet water usage by making people use rainwater to feed them, and you get to make the house owner pay for it that way rather than the government installing and maintaining supply infrastructure. I’m not sure whether the ACT requires this in new builds but I suspect if it doesn’t it will in the future.
It would be quite a bit, as you’d effectively be duplicating the water main infrastructure. In greenfield developments it would be more cost effective as you’re already digging for one set of pipes so installing another alongside wouldn’t be so expensive (also less chance of pinging other infrastructure as it’s either not there or better marked, and new suburbs won’t have gas mains to dodge).
NSW at least has found though that you can reduce toilet water usage by making people use rainwater to feed them, and you get to make the house owner pay for it that way rather than the government installing and maintaining supply infrastructure. I’m not sure whether the ACT requires this in new builds but I suspect if it doesn’t it will in the future.