Heritage Bank Stadium is turning on the tap to water conservation as one of the first new recycled water customers after the City’s $22.3 million upgrade to the Merrimac Sewage Treatment Plant.
The upgrades give a boost to the City’s recycled water network which is used in parks and industry to help preserve drinking water.
“This first stage will save more than half a million litres of drinking water every day and about $600,000 a year in water charges,” Mayor Tom Tate said.
“These upgrades allow the city to expand the recycled water customers to include 16 new commercial customers, including 2 city-owned parks and sports grounds – that’s in addition to the existing 19 city-owned parks/sports fields that are already connected to recycled water.
“The Recycled Water Network Expansion Project proposes more than $90 million in upgrades and new infrastructure to expand the current recycled water network to allow more than 100 new recycled water customers to connect.
“Recycled water means we can keep our playing fields and public areas green without depleting the City’s drinking water.
“The experts are all predicting a dry summer so it’s important to remember that it’s everyone’s responsibility to be waterwise.
“Small adjustments – such as limiting showers to four minutes, turning off the tap to brush your teeth or shave, and washing the car on the lawn – are easy to do but save a lot of water.”
Recycled water on the Gold Coast is supplied for irrigation and industry use including agriculture, nurseries, educational institutions, sports clubs and golf courses, large hotels and resorts, manufacturing, and construction.
When all customers are connected to stage 1, a total of 73 commercial customers will be using the Recycled Water Network across the City, saving millions of litres a year.
Stadiums Queensland Group Executive – Assets and Facilities David Spencer said: “We’re really pleased to partner with City of Gold Coast on this initiative as part of our commitment to improving environmental outcomes within our business.
“This initiative will provide Heritage Bank Stadium with Class A recycled water and ensure more water is available for critical use throughout the Gold Coast community, by reducing the demand on services, as well as drought proof our water dependent fields for the future, which aligns with SQ’s ESG priorities.
“We expect the success of this program will stretch beyond the benefits at Heritage Bank Stadium, with plans to roll it out at Cbus Super Stadium in the coming years.”
