Hundreds of residents of the Melbourne suburb of Sandhurst will be able to water their gardens daily and wash their cars from 12.00 noon today when the Victorian Minister for Water, the Hon. Tim Holding officially turns on the suburb's $6 million recycled water system.

The recycled water system will make the suburb of Sandhurst one of the most efficient users of water in Australia setting a benchmark for future developments.
 The recycled water program at Sandhurst will also have a major impact in curbing pollution at Gunnamatta Beach by cutting billions of litres of sewerage being released into the ocean in the future.

Every home in the golfing residential project in the south east of Melbourne will have Class A Recycled Water to flush toilets, water gardens and wash cars which will save billions of litres of potable water in the next decade.

The residents of Sandhurst will celebrate the milestone event with a community barbeque and be joined by the Green Santa. Sandhurst features two championship golf courses and is the national headquarters of the PGA.

Stephen Head, Managing Director of Links Living said, the recycled water project, commenced five years ago with the co-operation of the Victorian Government, Melbourne Water, Earth Tech and South East Water who will now run the scheme, had allowed Sandhurst to become a climate change suburb of the future.

"Through the longest drought in Australia's history we have been able to build an entire drought proof suburb with two championship golf courses which will cope with extremes of climate change and ensure the three thousand residents a green environment.

"The recycled water program at Sandhurst will also have a major impact in curbing pollution at Gunnamatta Beach by cutting billions of litres of sewerage being released into the ocean."

Mr Head said that recycled water programs for all new residential developments should become a major part of the water conservation strategy to protect Melbourne's water supplies.

"The decision to make Sandhurst the first drought proof suburb in Victoria by recycling water to ensure a green environment, even during water restrictions, has been an overwhelming environmental and financial success which makes recycled water an important consideration for every land development operation.

"The turning on of the Sandhurst recycled water program today highlights the importance of co- operation between the Victorian Government , agencies such as Melbourne Water, EPA , Health Department, South East Water and the development industry, " Mr Head said.