Recycled water classifications
There are four types of recycled water where quality is described using a Class system.
Class A recycled water
Class A is the highest quality of recycled water, with the widest range of uses including those which involve direct human contact. These include clothes washing, closed system toilet flushing, garden watering and firefighting. It can be used to irrigate food crops that consumed raw or sold to consumers uncooked or processed as well as for all the uses allowed for Classes B, C and D
Class A is produced according to strict guidelines developed by EPA Victoria and the Department of Health.
Class B recycled water
Class B recycled water may be used to irrigate sports fields, golf courses and dairy cattle grazing land. It can also be used for industrial wash down as well as for the uses listed for Classes C and D, but has restrictions around human contact.
Class C recycled water
Class C may be used for a number of uses including for cooked or processed human food crops including wine grapes and olives. It can also be used for livestock grazing and fodder and for human food crops grown over a meter above the ground and eaten raw such as apples, pears, table grapes and cherries. It can be used by councils for specific purposes but there are restrictions around human contact.
Class D recycled water
Class D has received the least amount of treatment of all four classes and may be only used for non-food crops such as instant turf, woodlots and flowers.