Bega Valley Shire Council - On-site Sewage Management Inspection

• Property Details

• Type of inspection

  Select Approval to Operate Residential Approval to Operate Reinspection Approval to Install - Final Approval to Install - Inspection Complaint Approval to Operate Commercial

  • Approval to Operate Residential
  • Approval to Operate Reinspection
  • Approval to Install - Final
  • Approval to Install - Inspection
  • Complaint
  • Approval to Operate Commercial

• Conducted on

  Date

• Inspected by

  Amanda McKenna

  Myfanwy Appleton

  Craig Cowgill

Owners contact details (where known)

• Contact phone number

• Contact Postal Address

• Contact Email Address

Background Information (where known)

• Number of residents

• Soil type

  Select Sand and gravel Sandy loam Loam Clay loam Light clay Medium/Heavy Clay

  • Sand and gravel
  • Sandy loam
  • Loam
  • Clay loam
  • Light clay
  • Medium/Heavy Clay

Performance standards

• Does the system prevent the spread of disease by micro-organisms?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Does the system prevent the spread of foul odours?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Does the system prevent the contamination of water?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Does the system prevent the degradation of soil and vegetation?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Does the system discourage insects and vermin?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Does the system ensure that persons do not come into contact with untreated sewage or effluent (whether treat or not) in their ordinary activities on the premises concerned?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Does the system minimise any adverse impacts on the amenity of the premises and surrounding lands?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Buffer distances

• Is the effluent disposal area greater than 100 m to permanent surface waters?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the effluent disposal area greater than 250 m to domestic groundwater bore?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the effluent disposal area greater than 40 m to other waters (eg intermittent waterways, dams)?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Spray irrigation (if installed)

• Is the effluent disposal area greater than 6 m up/3m down to driveways & property boundaries?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the effluent disposal area greater than 15 m to dwellings?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the effluent disposal area greater than 3 m to paths and walkways?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the effluent disposal area greater than 6 m to swimming pools?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Absorption disposal (if installed)

• Is the effluent disposal area greater than 12 m up/6m down to the property boundary?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the effluent disposal area greater than 6 m up/ 3 m down to pools, driveways and buildings?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Tanks

• Is the lid, manhole and inspection openings undamaged and in place?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the tank accessible?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the tank undamaged?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Does the tank need a pump-out?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

AWTS & Irrigation area (if installed)

• Have service reports been sent to Council?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is there sufficient irrigation area?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the irrigation line buried?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are irrigation warning signs present?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is effluent being evenly distributed?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are garden hoses and fittings being used for irrigation?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Pump to Sewer Systems

• Is there a visual and audible alarm installed

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• If the system is commercial is there appropriate signage in place with 24/7 contact phone numbers for system operator

  Yes

  No

  N/A

General comments about system performance

• If there is a grease trap, is it satisfactory?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is greywater being disposed of satisfactorily?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the system operational at the time of inspection? <br>Eg - chlorine tablets, UV lamp

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the disposal area showing signs of stress?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the disposal area failing?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

System information

• System type

  Select AWTS Septic tank with land disposal Biological filtering system Pump to Sewer Greywater Other Pit toilet Collection Wells Reed Bed Chemical Toilet

  • AWTS
  • Septic tank with land disposal
  • Biological filtering system
  • Pump to Sewer
  • Greywater
  • Other
  • Pit toilet
  • Collection Wells
  • Reed Bed
  • Chemical Toilet

• Add drawing

  Drawing

• Disposal area

  Select Absorption Trench Evapotranspiration bed Wisconsin Mound Spray Irrigation Sub-surface irrigation Pump-out Reed bed Transpiration Bed

  • Absorption Trench
  • Evapotranspiration bed
  • Wisconsin Mound
  • Spray Irrigation
  • Sub-surface irrigation
  • Pump-out
  • Reed bed
  • Transpiration Bed

Inspection Outcome

• Inspection result

  Select 5 year approval 3 year approval 1 year approval Warning letter to be issued Local Government Order to be issued POEO Notice to be issued Unable to issue ATO further investigation required

  • 5 year approval
  • 3 year approval
  • 1 year approval
  • Warning letter to be issued
  • Local Government Order to be issued
  • POEO Notice to be issued
  • Unable to issue ATO further investigation required

• Risk Rating of premises

  Select Critical High Low

  • Critical
  • High
  • Low

• Parcel Number

• Time for reinspection ( if required)

  Select 1 month 3 months 6 months

  • 1 month
  • 3 months
  • 6 months

• Office Use Only

  Select ABS ADD AUG BRY DOM FOR SER SIGN GREY IND LID MOW OUT PUMP STOCK TOP UNC DIV NIL LOCKED GATE DOG PREVENT SEPTIC TANK NOT FOUND LAND APPLICATION AREA NOT FOUND REP Repair tank

  • ABS
  • ADD
  • AUG
  • BRY
  • DOM
  • FOR
  • SER
  • SIGN
  • GREY
  • IND
  • LID
  • MOW
  • OUT
  • PUMP
  • STOCK
  • TOP
  • UNC
  • DIV
  • NIL
  • LOCKED GATE
  • DOG PREVENT
  • SEPTIC TANK NOT FOUND
  • LAND APPLICATION AREA NOT FOUND
  • REP
  • Repair tank

• Comments

FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT ON-SITE SEWAGE MANAGEMENT

Why the need for an approval to operate?

• In 1997, an incident occurred where wastewater was found to be discharged into Wallis Lake, near Port Macquarie. The discharge came from a number of domestic septic tanks. As the Lake was used for aquaculture, an outbreak of Hepatitis A occurred, resulting in 444 people contracting the disease and one fatality.
  As a result, a review was undertaken and it found that councils were best placed to inspect and regulate the use of on-site sewage management system. Changes were made to the Local Government Act 1993 to require everyone with an on-site sewage management systems to obtain an approval to operate the system.
  The maximum time that an approval can be granted is five years and an approval is not transferable on the sale of a property.

Protecting your on-site sewage management system and effluent disposal area

• There are a number of simple things that you can do to protect your on-site sewage management system:
  • use a sink strainer to reduce waste reaching your septic tank;
  • clean the grease trap regularly (where fitted);
  • don’t discharge bleach, whiteners, nappy soakers etc into the system;
  • don’t discharge hygiene products, condoms, tampons, nappies and cotton buds into the system;
  • don’t use more than recommended amounts of disinfectants and detergents;
  • repair leaking taps and cisterns;
  • have the sludge pumped out every 4-5 years;
  • grow grass in your effluent disposal area and keep it regularly mown;
  • divert stormwater away from the area;
  • don’t drive or park vehicles over the area; and
  • keep livestock out of the area to avoid compacting of the soil.
  
  If the system becomes smelly, flush a cup of lime (calcium oxide) down the toilet each day for 7 days. This will reduce the pH and encourage bacterial growth, which reduces the odour.

Further information:

• Further information is available by calling Council during office hours on 6499 2222 and speak to an Environmental Health Officer.