Householders oppose paying for recycled water to their homes, says survey Supporters want to push ahead with a plan for a recycling plant, which would see recycled sewage added to Perth's water supply within two years. MOST West Australians would prefer to pipe water from the Kimberley or build more desalination plants than see the Government spend money on pumping treated waste-water into aquifers. If the Barnett Government introduces recycled water, the vast majority would prefer it be used for industry only and not for household consumption. The full results of an annual telephone survey of 400 people undertaken by the Water Corporation can be revealed publicly today for the first time after a Freedom of Information request from The Sunday Times. As part of the survey, participants were asked if they supported or opposed investment by the Water Corporation in a number of water-source alternatives. Recycling water for industry was supported or strongly supported by 90 per cent of participants in the 2012 survey. And 84 per cent indicated they would also support a water pipeline to Perth from the Kimberley, while 79 per cent were supportive of more desalination plants. Similar results were obtained since the survey began in 2009. A three-year trial of recycled water for drinking was completed by the Water Corporation in December and will be used as evidence that a full-scale recycling plant, which would see recycled sewage added to Perth's water supply within two years, should be built. The telephone survey has been used by the Government as an indicator of public support for expanding the trial after 76 per cent of 2012 respondents said that if the trial was successful, they would support recycled water "being part of my drinking supply." FOI documents show this figure varied only slightly over the survey period, from 67 per cent in 2011, 70 per cent in 2010 and 73 per cent in 2009. Recycled water for non-drinking purposes was better supported by survey participants. Topping up groundwater with recycled water for drinking was acceptable to 72 per cent of those surveyed in 2012. This compared with use for watering lawns and gardens (96 per cent), replenishing lakes and wetlands (92 per cent) and watering fruit and vegetables (85 per cent). A spokeswoman for the Water Corporation said the corporation was "extremely confident the survey results provide an accurate reflection of community sentiment about the use of recycled water for drinking."