Wastewater
The majority of properties in the Shire are not connected to reticulated sewerage and rely on onsite wastewater systems to treat and dispose of household sewage. Managing these systems correctly is essential to protect public health, our waterways and the environment we all share. To find out if your property has sewer available conduct a search of the Water Corporation’s property rating system here.
Where deep sewer is not available to a property, an onsite wastewater disposal system must be installed. Several systems are approved for use in WA. For more information on the different types of systems, refer to the Department of Health WA website.
Several factors must be considered when choosing the appropriate system and location for your property. The main factors include the available space to accommodate the system and the local soil conditions, including the depth to groundwater.
Under the Government Sewerage Policy 2019, a site and soil evaluation is required for all applications to install a wastewater treatment system unless otherwise except by the Shire Environmental Health Officer. Please refer to the Department of Health WA website for further information.
You Must Have Approval Before You Install
It is an offence to commence construction or installation of any wastewater system without prior approval.
It is also an offence to commission a system prior to final inspection and approval to use from the local government.
All applications must be lodged with the Shire in the first instance. If the proposed system will handle less than 540 litres per day of wastewater and the building to be serviced is a single dwelling, the Shire will process your application. If the wastewater volume generated is more than 540 litres per day and the building is not a single dwelling, the Shire will assess the application and forward it to the Department of Health for processing.
Application and approval
Prior to installing a new or altering an existing onsite wastewater system, an application must be lodged with the Shire's Environmental Health Officer.
Click here to download the ‘Application to Construct or Install an Apparatus for the Treatment of Sewage’ form.
Once an application has been received, the site and system will be assessed for suitability and if all requirements are satisfied, an ‘Approval to Construct’ will be issued.
After the system has been installed, and prior to the system being covered with soil, the installer must contact the Shire's Environmental Health Officer to arrange for a final inspection to ensure the system has been installed as per the approval. Within 7 days of the final inspection taking place, an ‘as-constructed’ plumber's plan must be submitted to the Shire. Once the final installation of the system has been approved, then a ‘Permit to Use’ will be issued to the property owner. Please note that it is an offence to occupy a house or use a system without a ‘Permit to Use’ having been issued.
Maintaining a system
To ensure optimum operation of a septic system, a few basic maintenance items must be regularly attended to:
- Alternate the leach drains by switching the diverter device on a regular basis. It is recommended that each leach drain is rested every six to 12 months.
- Ensure septic tanks are pumped out on a regular basis. The timing will depend on the usage, but on average for a two-bedroom house it is recommended that the tanks be pumped out every eight to nine years. Please note that only licensed liquid waste contractors can pump out septic tanks.
- Ensure any alternative treatment system is regularly serviced by a qualified agent as per the approved maintenance agreement and that the agent submits the service reports to the Shire on a regular basis.
Fees:
Local Government Application Fee: $118
Grant of the Permit to Use an apparatus: $118