A costly wastewater recycling plant installed at the trouble-plagued Perth Children’s Hospital is likely to stay switched off due to Heath Department fears of cross-contamination.
Health Minister Roger Cook says the system, installed by builder John Holland in breach of department guidelines, is proof of the level of project mismanagement by the previous Barnett Liberal government.
The $230,000 wastewater treatment facility is designed to treat used shower-water with ultraviolet light and chlorine to use it for flushing hospital toilets.
However, the Department of Health has questioned the use of recycled water due to the increased risk of exposure to dangerous pathogens present in a hospital setting.
A department spokeswoman says it considered a draft proposal for the system and found it presented, “a high-exposure risk level” based on guidelines for recycled Water in WA in 2011.
The department advised that given the low volumes of recycled water to be treated and the increased pathogen risk that the “proposal should be re-considered,” she said.
She said John Holland asserts it thought approval from the department was only required prior to turning the system on, not before it was installed.
The Health Minister says he is aware the greywater system is in place but said it would not be commissioned until further reviews by his department.
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