Environment & Health Protection Guidelines
On-site Sewage Management for Single Households

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Id Section Title Page
INTRODUCTION 9
ON-SITE SEWAGE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVE
 9
SUPPORTING PRINCIPLES
10
SUPPORTING POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND GUIDELINES
12
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES
16
USING THESE GUIDLEINES
17
SECTION 1REGULATION19
1.1LEGISLATION
21
1.1.1Local Government Legislation
21
1.1.2Other Legislation
23
1.2DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
23
1.2.1Rural Residential Release Strategies
26
1.2.2Local Environmental Plans
27
1.2.3Development Control Plans
28
1.2.4Development Applications - Subdivision
29
1.2.5Development Applications - Dwellings
29
SECTION 2ON-SITE SEWAGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES31
2.1INTRODUCTION
33
2.2DEVELOPING AN ON-SITE SEWAGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
33
2.2.1Policy, Scope and Purpose
34
2.2.2Objectives
34
2.2.3Goals
35
2.2.4Programs and Resources
36
2.2.5Evaluation
38
2.2.6Continuing Improvement
39
2.2.7Attachments
39
SECTION 3OPERATIONAL STRATEGIES41
3.1REGULATING ON-SITE SEWAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
43
3.2LOCAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS FOR ON-SITE SYSTEMS
44
3.3ENVIRONMENTAL AUDITS, MONITORING AND REPORTING
45
3.4EDUCATION AND TRAINING
46
3.4.1Training Needs
46
3.4.2Training Resources
48
3.5RESPONSIBILITIES OF OTHER STAKEHOLDERS
49
3.5.1Developers
49
3.5.2Vendors, Agents and Service Providers
49
3.5.3Householders
50
3.5.4Neighbours
51
SECTION 4EVALUATING THE SITE53
4.1INTRODUCTION
55
4.2THE BROAD EVALUATION - DESKTOP STUDY
57
4.3THE SITE AND SOIL ASSESSMENT
59
4.3.1Assessing for Subdivisions
59
4.3.2Assessing for Single Lots
61
4.3.3Site Features
62
4.3.4Soil Features
67
4.4THE SITE REPORT
73
SECTION 5ON-SITE SEWAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OPTIONS75
5.1INTRODUCTION
77
5.1.1Minimising Wastewater Generation
77
5.1.2Characteristics of Untreated Domestic Wastewater
77
5.1.3The Three Phases of Wastewater Management
80
5.2TOTAL ON-SITE SEWAGE MANAGEMENT
82
5.3ON-SITE SEWAGE MANAGEMENT FACILITIES
82
5.3.1General Considerations
82
5.3.2Septic Tanks - Septic Closets - Collection Wells
84
5.3.3Aerated Wastewater Treatment Systems (AWTS)
90
5.3.4Waterless Composting Toilets
96
5.3.5Recirculating Aerobic Sand Filter Devices (RASFD)
100
5.3.6Wet Composting Toilets
101
5.3.7Combustion Toilets
104
5.3.8Ancillary Systems
105
5.3.9Greywater Treatment Devices
107
5.3.10Disinfection
108
5.4ON-SITE LAND APPLICATION SYSTEMS
111
5.4.1General Considerations
111
5.4.2Irrigation
115
5.4.3Soil Absorbtion
119
5.5PARTIAL ON-SITE MANAGEMENT
121
5.5.1Common Effluent Systems (CES)
121
5.5.2Chemical Toilets
123
5.5.3Pump-Out Systems
124
5.5.4Wastewater Ejection Units
126
5.6TOTAL OFF-SITE SEWAGE MANAGEMENT
127
SECTION 6SELECTING AN ON-SITE SEWAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM129
6.1INTRODUCTION
131
6.2IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS
131
6.2.1General
131
6.2.2Climate
132
6.2.3Waste Streams
133
6.2.4System Combinations
134
APPENDICES AND FURTHER INFORMATION137
APPENDIX 1:On-Site Sewage Management Strategy Checklist
139
APPENDIX 2:Model Site Report
144
APPENDIX 3:Model Septic Tank & Pump-out Conditions of Approval
148
APPENDIX 4:Model AWTS Conditions of Approval
150
APPENDIX 5:Model Composting Toilet Conditions of Approval
151
APPENDIX 6:Estimating Irrigation Area Size & Wetweather Storage Requirements
152
APPENDIX 7:Vegetation Suitable for Land Application Areas
166
APPENDIX 8:Public Information Brochures
169
GLOSSARY181
BIBLIOGRAPHY186
FURTHER INFORMATION189
Errata and Revision Notes189


New South Wales Division of Local Government, Department of Premier and Cabinet
5 O'Keefe Avenue, Nowra, NSW, Australia
Locked Bag 3015, Nowra, NSW 2541 Australia
Email: septicsafe@dlg.nsw.gov.au
Tel: 61-2-4428 4100
Fax: 61-2-4428 4199