Australians will have to put aside their understandable scepticism and embrace the benefits of recycled water, a recent report has told.

A paper compiled by University of NSW's Dr Stuart Khan says the technology is at such a level now that there are really no fears left to hold.

Dr Khan says it is important that country begins to plan for the future no, or face increasing shortages and associated costs. With current moves around the country in favour of the considerably more expensive and energy intensive option – desalination of seawater – a new system would likely take some time to install.

“I can't imagine a direct potable reuse scheme in Australia in anything less than a decade, perhaps 20 years, perhaps 30 years is more likely,” Dr Kan says

But it is; “"technically feasible and can safely supply potable water directly into the water distribution system.”

Western Australia has already begun moves to create its recycled water network, and should be ready within Dr Khan's foreseen timeline. The system will one day provide around 20 per cent of Perth's drinking supplies.

In Namibia, a direct potable reuse (DPR) plant has operated problem-free since 1998, there are others in more water-desperate parts of the world as well. 

“These international projects demonstrate that DPR as a concept is feasible and can be done safely, and that it appears to have sufficient real advantages that other countries are actively pursuing it,” says Dr Khan.

“These observations alone should be enough for a water-challenged country like Australia to want to take a closer look.”

The study from UNSW was commissioned by the Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence, a lobbying group pushing to create the next generation of safe drinking water in Australia.

The report will be launched along with full plans and details tonight at an event in Melbourne.

Dr Khan says the reality is bearing down upon the population. In some cases people may inadvertently be drinking reused water anyway.

“There are many examples around Australia where we have waste water treatment plants that are discharging into rivers that run into reservoirs that become part of the drinking water supply,” he said.

Recycling water for reuse will be inevitable, Dr Kahn says;

“In the long term, I see direct potable reuse as being universally inevitable. I see that if we are going to have increasing population pressures, potentially increasing climate pressures in many areas, we really do need get a lot smarter about this one-directional use of water.”

The report will be launched tonight at an event at the Victorian University City Convention Centre in Melbourne. It has also been made avalable online.