Recycled water pilot proposed for ports in Australia

Ms Peperkamp has written to Victoria’s ministers for water, ports and climate action seeking backing for “a pilot initiative… to enable the supply of surplus Class A recycled water to vessels docking at Victorian ports.”

IAO believes the pilot would conserve drinking-water supplies, align with Marpol Annex IV and AMSA Marine Order 96, and provide an additional revenue stream for water corporations.

The IAO proposal has been shared with EPA Victoria and the Port of Melbourne.

She framed the objective in practical terms. “Seeing the impact of untreated discharges and inefficient water use first-hand sparked my passion,” she said. “Oceans connect us all.”

The intended outcomes combine environmental protection with cost control, “Sustainability in shipping is an opportunity, not a burden… operators can protect oceans and unlock long-term cost savings and resilience.”

An IAO expression of interest (EOI) document has been prepared to register operator interest in the pilot, with options to request technical details and to discuss participation in the 2025–26 season. The EOI is described as non-binding and designed to inform discussions with regulators and infrastructure partners.

A short IAO pilot pitch circulated to operators stated surplus Class A recycled water would be delivered for non-potable uses – toilets, laundry, HVAC and firefighting – through a berth fitted with purple-pipe infrastructure and a sampling system, and monitored under a recycled water quality management plan.

IAO stated the pilot would align with Mapol Annex IV and AMSA Marine Order 96.

A policy briefing note accompanying the IAO proposal set out the rationale and the compliance stack – international, national, state and port layers – and invited input from CLIA and Shipping Australia “to ensure the pilot reflects operator needs and compliance priorities.”

It also referred to potable-water replacement of up to 80% for ships’ non-potable consumption.

Looking ahead to the webinar, Ms Peperkamp said progress will come from collaboration between regulators, operators and innovators, with digital monitoring and verification used to simplify compliance.

“The next five years favour closed-loop systems,” she said. “By embracing water reuse, cleaner energy and smarter compliance, operators can protect oceans and unlock long-term cost savings and resilience.”

Riviera’s Marine Environmental Protection Webinar Week will be held 28-30 October. Use this link for more information and to register for these webinars.