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Overview
If your business, home or rental property isn’t connected to the Sydney Water’s sewage system you’ll have some type of on-site sewage management system to store, treat and dispose of waste water.
Domestic wastewater treatment systems include:
- septic tanks with evapotranspiration beds or absorption trenches
- composting systems (worm farms)
- pump to sewer systems
- effluent pump out system
- Aerated Wastewater Treatment Systems (AWTS).
Onsite sewage and waste water management is the responsibility of the property owner. This includes conserving water, minimizing use of chemical cleaners, and avoiding large or sudden loads of waste water.
Your system needs to be serviced on a regular basis and you will need to have maintenance contracts with qualified providers.
Council’s responsibilities
It is Council’s role to inspect and monitor the operation of all onsite sewage management systems in the North Sydney Local Government Area.
In relation to on-site sewage management, Council may issue an order under Section 124 of the Local Government Act 1993:
- to comply with an approval (Order 30)
- to connect premises to reticulated sewer by a specified date where they are situated within 75m of a Council sewer service (Order 24)
- not to use or permit the use of a human waste storage facility to be used after a specified date (Order 25)
- to store, treat or dispose of waste (Order 22).
Approval to operate an existing waste water system
Every onsite waste management system requires approval to operate from Council, according to the Local Government Act, 1993, Section 68.
This must be renewed every few years depending on the risk rating of the system. Property owners must comply with conditions of their approval. It is an offence to operate an onsite system without approval from Council.
Operate an onsite waste water system application form
Applications can be submitted in person at Council during business hours.
Payment in accordance with Council’s Fees and Charges will be included with applications to operate a system.
Contact Council
Our Customer Service Centre operates from 9am to 5pm. Our Council Rangers are on duty and contactable seven days a week from 5.30am to midnight.
Address:Install a new system or alter an existing waste water system
The installation, alteration or construction of a waste treatment device requires approval by Council, according to the Local Government Act, 1993, Section 68.
Before a system can be installed or altered, a Section 68 application must be submitted to Council to be assessed against current regulations and standards.
Install an onsite Wastewater system application form
Applications can be submitted in person at Council during business hours.
Payment in accordance with Council’s Fees and Charges will be included with applications to install a system.
Please note that the installation of a waste water management system may require development consent.
Please contact Council’s Planning and Development Advisor for further advice. Please include your name and contact telephone number(s) on any email.