17
Oct 2024
City of Sydney to Repurpose Runoff from Hospital's Dialysis Water Purification System for Street Cleaning
Published in General on October 17, 2024
City of Sydney street washers will use runoff from the intensive water purification process for dialysis machines at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. The hospital reports that purifying water for dialysis results in 25 litres of wastewater per minute.
Typically, street cleaners rely on drinking water or water collected from stormwater recovery systems. This initiative aims to reduce water waste by repurposing the runoff for street cleaning, offering a more sustainable alternative.
To reduce its reliance on drinking water for street cleaning, the City of Sydney has turned to an unusual water source—runoff from the water filtration process for kidney dialysis machines at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. This initiative is expected to save approximately 1.5 million litres of water annually.
Dialysis requires "ultra-pure" bacteria-free water, but around 25% of the drinking water used in the purification process is wasted. A single patient uses 500 litres over 14 hours during a typical dialysis session. With about 50 machines, Royal Prince Alfred is one of the largest dialysis centres in New South Wales.
Now, this previously wasted water is being collected and repurposed for street washing, offering a sustainable solution for the city.
Professor Steve Chadban from Royal Prince Alfred Hospital notes that as much as 25 litres of water per minute is wasted during the purification process for dialysis machines.
"That's a significant amount of water," Professor Chadban remarked.
The City of Sydney has implemented an innovative initiative to repurpose the wastewater from the purification process used for dialysis machines at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. By collecting and utilizing this water, the city aims to reduce its dependence on traditional drinking water sources for street cleaning, saving approximately 1.5 million litres annually.
This approach optimizes the use of hospital resources and contributes to environmental sustainability by decreasing the volume of treated water discharged into the environment.
Street cleaners typically rely on drinking water or the city's stormwater harvesting schemes for their work. However, according to City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, after passing through the purification system, the water has low levels of calcium and magnesium, making it suitable for street cleaning.
In addition to its innovative water management practices, Hospital stays offers accommodation options for patients and their families. They provide facilities to ensure patients undergoing treatment have convenient access to medical care while staying close to their support network. These accommodations are designed to enhance the comfort and well-being of patients, making their healthcare experience more manageable during their stay.
![A Medicare bulk-billed urgent care clinic, established by the federal government to help reduce emergency department pressures, has unexpectedly closed in Bundaberg, Queensland, less than a year after opening. Located 400 kilometres north of Brisbane, this clinic was one of 75 launched across Australia since June 2023 to redirect non-life-threatening cases away from hospitals, allow emergency departments to focus on the most critical cases.
Since its opening in November last year, the Bundaberg Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) has provided care to hundreds of patients. However, it unexpectedly closed its doors on October 22, with plans to reopen a week later. A sign now indicates that it is "closed until further notice." This makes the Bundaberg UCC the only one of its kind in Australia to shut down.
Patient Sue Hackett expressed her surprise upon arriving at the clinic on Tuesday when she found it closed. “I looked on the website, and it actually showed it was open... I've come here assuming they're open,” Ms. Hackett said.
Julie Sturgess, chief executive of the region's public health network Country to Coast, told the ABC that she could not provide specific details regarding the reasons behind the abrupt closure of the Bundaberg Urgent Care Clinic. “There are ongoing negotiations with the provider of that service,” Ms. Sturgess stated.
In response to the closure, a free phone service called Connect2Care has been established, allowing callers to speak with a registered nurse for their urgent care needs. “If further care is required, such as seeing a GP, we can organize an appointment either with your regular GP or a phone or video consultation with an online GP through that service,” Ms. Sturgess explained.
Additionally, some GP practices in Bundaberg are extending their hours to accommodate extra appointments. The Bundaberg UCC was operated by the Indigenous Wellbeing Centre (IWC), a non-profit Aboriginal-controlled health organization that serves the entire community. The IWC has declined to comment on the closure.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler informed the ABC that services at the Bundaberg Urgent Care Clinic are expected to resume shortly.
The Australian Medical Association Queensland (AMAQ) has expressed ongoing concerns regarding the viability of the federal government's urgent care clinic program. AMAQ President Nick Yim emphasized that these clinics often duplicate services already provided by GP clinics. “We believe the federal funding for these clinics would be better invested in existing general practices around the state,” Dr. Yim stated.
Sue Hackett shared that she was able to secure a same-day appointment at a GP clinic, but it would come at a cost. “I just want to go to a place where I can get sorted with my medical condition, plus I don’t have to pay,” she expressed, highlighting the challenges many face in accessing affordable healthcare.
Tim Spargo, the owner of the pharmacy located next to the Urgent Care Clinic, emphasized the critical role the clinic has played in the community. He noted that when travellers forgot their chronic condition medications or prescriptions, he could direct them to the UCC for assistance. “In the 11 months that it's been open, it has really served a vital purpose … it has taken that pressure off [emergency departments],” Mr. Spargo stated, expressing the urgent need for such services in the area.
"What's clear is that federal Labor is unable to deliver on their commitments, and the people of Bundaberg and the surrounding district, who desperately need additional services, have been let down," he said. "No matter who you talk to, whether it's the GPs themselves or others, they are just overrun with work, and what should be a godsend is now closed."
In response, Mr Butler reiterated that patients can still receive assistance through the phone line, which will "help ensure the Bundaberg community's urgent care needs continue to be met."
Meanwhile, newly elected Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has pledged an additional half a billion dollars to reduce ramping across the state to below 30 per cent over the next four years. Queensland Health data from April to June this year indicates that 44.7 per cent of patients were not transferred off ambulance stretchers within 30 minutes. This issue is particularly pressing for Bundaberg Hospital, which has been struggling with high demand and limited resources. Crisafulli also promised to recruit 34,200 additional health workers by 2032.](https://c3eeedc15c0611d84c18-6d9497f165d09befa49b878e755ba3c4.ssl.cf4.rackcdn.com/photos/blogs/article-832-1730723697.jpg "Bundaberg Urgent Care Clinic Closes Abruptly, Leaving Patients in Uncertainty")
