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PLUMBING CONNECTION Summer 2017
THREE’S COMPANY FOR HOT WATER
A
new housing development in Melbourne’s south east
will incorporate a range of unprecedented water saving
features as part of a collaboration between South East
Water and residential land developer Villawood Properties.
Known as Aquarevo, the 460-home development is being
built at the site of a decommissioned water purification plant
owned by South East Water and will have built-in energy
efficiency and water saving features in each property.
It’s on track to become what has been described as
Australia’s most sustainable urban residential development
that will push the boundaries in eco-friendly living.
“We wanted to reduce the reliance on drinking water
without losing the liveability we enjoy today, which is why
Aquarevo homes will be plumbed with three types of water
– rainwater, drinking and recycled,” says South East Water
Aquarevo group manager Terry Dalgleish.
The main water-efficient feature is a rain to hot water
system that will directly supply hot water services in the
bathroom and laundry.
Terry says South East Water designed this rain to hot water
system as a way to focus on using sources of water for their
most appropriate purpose.
“At the moment, in most towns and cities, reticulated mains
drinking water is used for a variety of purposes - drinking,
cleaning, flushing toilets, watering gardens and washing
clothes. In rural communities, the opposite is often the case,
with rainwater usually the sole source for the household and
often untreated and unmonitored for quality.”
STORINGWATER
This is the first rain to hot water system to be developed
to deliver water of this quality and on this scale. Terry says
designing the system into a new home rather than an existing
one is not only much easier but also more practical.
“Considerations such as ongoing ownership, maintenance
and monitoring of the equipment make precinct-scale
implementation much more viable.”
South East Water has designed and developed a system
that will treat rainwater for safe supply as hot water for
the shower, bath, laundry trough and washing machine. In
addition, heated drinking water for food preparation or other
human consumption will be supplied to all sinks, basins,
fridges and dishwasher appliances via a normal water system.
Every home will have a 2,400L rainwater tank to feed the
heat-pump hot water system, which will draw its energy from
the warmth in the air.
“We all need to reduce our reliance on drinking water as we
deal with the challenges of population growth and climate
At a time when climate change and population growth are placing increased pressure on water
resources, South East Water has developed a new rain-to-hot water system that will reduce reliance on
potable water and allow homes to be plumbed with three types of water.
Adelle King
explains.
HOT WATER EFFICIENCY