DOMESTIC WASTEWATER APPLICATION GUIDEPage 1 of 23

Domestic wastewater
Application guide

A Council Wastewater Permit is required prior to the installation or alteration of a septic tank, wastewater treatment plant and/orwastewater disposal system.

The following guide provides general information on the application process, the types of systems that are available, and the information you may need to consider when making your application.

Failure to install and/or maintain an approved wastewater system could create a localised public health risk or an environmental hazard.


INDEX

1.The Application Process......

2.Completion of the Application Form......

3.Site Plan......

4.Domestic Wastewater Management Plan......

5.Land Capability Assessment (LCA)......

6.Plumbing......

7.Inspections required......

8.Approval to Use a Wastewater System......

9.Septic Tank Systems......

10.Effluent Disposal Areas......

11.Effluent Disposal Trenches......

12.On-site Wastewater Treatment Units......

13.How to calculate daily Wastewater Discharge......

APPENDIX 1 - Effluent Disposal Rates......

APPENDIX 2 - Minimum Setback Requirements for Wastewater Disposal Areas......

APPENDIX 3 - Absorption Trench Specification......

APPENDIX 4 – Plants Suitable for Transpiration......

APPENDIX 5 – Treatment Plant - Irrigation Layout...... 16

APPENDIX 6 - Size of Allotment less than 1000sqm......

APPENDIX 7 - Greywater - Re-use options for household waste...... 9


  1. The Application Process

Before installing or altering any part of a wastewater system, the owner must obtain a Permit to Install / Alter a Wastewater System.

The application process requires that the following information must be submitted to Council:

A completed, signed application form.

Lodgement of applicable application fee (refer to Application).

A site plan of the proposed installation (refer Page 4).

A locality plan.

A copy of the site Land Capability Assessment report (if applicable).

Once the completed application form is submitted, it will be reviewed by Council’s Environmental Health Officer or referred to other agencies such as the EPA (if required).

If all the relevant information is provided on the Application, and there is no objection by Council or a Referral agency, the permit can then be processed. If there is insufficient information, you will be required to provide supporting information.

Once the application is approved, a Permit to Install / Alter a Wastewater System will then be issued (usually within twenty (20) working days).The Permit to Install is valid for a twelve (12) month period. The installation of the Wastewater System must be completed within this time frame.If the Wastewater System is not completed within this time frame the application will expire and the applicant will be required to reapply.

  1. Completion of the Application Form

The applicant is required to:

  • Nominate the soil profile to a depth of 450mm.
  • Nominate the location of any ground water bores, dam or water bodies within 60 metres of the wastewater envelope.
  • Nominate the number of bedrooms proposed for the dwelling.
  • Nominate the location of all buildings, structures and access ways (driveways) on the allotment.
  • Nominate the location and size of the wastewater envelope (square metres).
  • Nominate the location of any rock outcrops on site including any rock or rock outcrops within the wastewater envelope.
  • Nominate the slope and site gradients on the allotment.
  • Nominate the direction of surface storm water flow on the allotment.

If the site is less than 1,000 square metres, the applicant is required to:

  • Lodge a Land Capability Assessment report with Council. This report will provide the estimated wastewater load, specify a preferred wastewater treatment and design system plus highlight any environmental limitations which may be present on the allotment.
  • Lodge a design and installation plan which clearly describes how the treated effluent will be retained and treated onsite. This plan should also specify who will supervise the installation of the system.
  • Lodge a management plan which can be utilised by the owner to ensure that the system can be maintained over its life by respective owners. This plan must also highlight the service agent and specify the frequency of servicing for the particular components of the system.
  1. Site Plan

The Site Plan is intended to show the location of all components of the proposed domestic wastewater system, the location of dwellings and associated structures, infrastructure and all relevant environmental features of the allotment.

The plan should include the existing features and structures plus any proposed upgrades, improvements and/or new developments.A plan scale of 1:100 is suggested.

The plan should include:

  • North & scale.
  • Location of proposed dwelling and fixtures such as WC, sink, bath, shower, basin, trough, washing machine, dishwasher.
  • Location of wastewater envelope (treatment system and disposal field).
  • Location of water tanks.
  • Location of all buildings.
  • Location of driveways, swimming pools, excavations, storm water, drains.
  • Location of water, phone, gas and electrical trenches.
  • Location of mature trees.
  • Locations of water bores and/or water bodies such as creeks, streams, ocean, located within 60 metres of disposal field (both potable and non potable).

  1. Domestic Wastewater Management Plan

In 2009, the Glenelg Shire adopted a domestic wastewater management plan. This plan strategically reviewed the sustainability of onsite domestic wastewater management systems in the eleven (11) townships within the municipality which did not have access to a reticulated sewerage scheme.

This plan used the “traffic light” principle to highlight potential high risk allotments within these townships. High risk allotments were colour coded red while low risk allotments were colour coded green.

The plan also recommended a strategy to ensure onsite wastewater management could be undertaken sustainably in these townships. In this strategy, Septic Tank systems with effluent absorption trenches were deemed inappropriate for the following townships:

  • Allestree / Dutton Way
  • Cape Bridgewater
  • Dartmoor
  • Narrawong
  • Nelson
  • Merino
  • Sandford
  • West Portland

Wastewater management systems for these townships will need to be secondary or tertiary treatment systems.

TheDomestic Wastewater Management Plan can be downloaded from Council’s website Domestic Wastewater Management Systems in the A-Z index).

  1. Land Capability Assessment (LCA)

A Land Capability Assessment will be required if the site is deemed a “high risk site” and if the land area is less than 1,000 square metres.

High Risk sites will generally be sites that either due to the soil type, size of allotment, site gradients or site specific environmental features, may experience difficultly retaining all domestic wastewater on site. An LCA would explore the options available to ensure all wastewater could be retained on site without creating either a public health or an environmental hazard.

Information on how to develop a Land Capability Assessment can be obtained from the Municipal Association of Victoria, Model LCA ( or the EPA’s Guidelines for Environmental Management Code of Practice – Onsite Wastewater Management Publication 891.4July 2016, EPA publication 746, Land Capability Assessment for On-site Domestic Wastewater Management ( and AS/NZS1547, On-site Domestic Wastewater Management. If you would like further information on LCAs please refer to Council’s Land Capability Assessment Guidelines.

What is an LCA?

A LCA involves:

  • An inventory of the features of the property.
  • Constraints associated with the proposed development.
  • Assessment of risks associated with the proposed development.
  • Management programs to address the identified constraints.
  • Design and installation requirements for environmentally sensitive sites.

The assessment should not be expected to advocate a position solely on behalf of the landholder or developer. This assessment should be sufficiently rigorous so that Council is fully informed of all environmental limitations for the proposed development.

Who prepares an LCA?

A Land Capability Assessor should:

  • Have a relevant and acceptable tertiary qualification from a reputable training institution in a discipline such as soil science, geography or engineering.
  • Have relevant credentials, experience and Professional Indemnity insurance (satisfactory to Council).
  1. Plumbing

The Plumbing Industry Board’s Self Certification Scheme regulates all plumbing works to the wastewater system. All plumbing works must comply with Australian Standard 3500. All plumbing must be completed by a plumber who holds all the appropriate Victorian registration requirements.

Individual installers must have:

  • Appropriate Victorian plumbing registration.
  • Relevant insurance to protect other parties in case of treatment plant failure (including works associated with sitting, installation and commissioning of the facility).
  1. Inspections required

A maximum of three (3) inspections of each wastewater system will be undertaken. These inspections include:

  • An initial site inspection after receipt by Council of the application.
  • An inspection of the wastewater system during the installation process.
  • A final inspection when the system is completed prior to an ‘Approval to Use’ being issued.

No backfilling should be undertaken without the approval of the Environmental Health Officer.

Inspections of Wastewater System installations require a minimum of 5 working days notice.Additional inspections, or inspections requested within 48 hours notice will be subject to an additional fee of $200.00 per inspection. Cancellation of scheduled inspections must be notified 24 hours prior to scheduled inspection to prevent a cancellation fee of $200.00.Inspections may be arranged by calling Council on(03) 5522 2229 or0437 170 439.

  1. Approval to Use a Wastewater System

Council will issue an ‘Approval to Use’, when the Environmental Health Officer has completed the final inspection and following the lodgement by the owner and/or plumber of a Plumbing Industry Certificate of Compliance and a site plan which highlights the location of the wastewater installation.

  1. Septic Tank Systems

All Septic Tank Systems must be installed in accordance with the EPA’s Guidelines for Environmental Management Code of Practice – Onsite Wastewater Management Publication 891.4July 2016 and be of a type that treats all wastes. To treat all waste, Septic Tanks must have a minimum capacity of 3000 Litres.

  • All installations shall comply with EPA’s Guidelines for Environmental Management Code of Practice – Onsite Wastewater Management Publication 891.4July 2016, and AS 3500 National Plumbing and Drainage Code.
  • Inlets and outlets of the septic tank must be baffled to avoid distributing the solid contents of the septic tank.
  • Inspection openings of the septic tank shall be bought up to and permanently marked at surface level. Inspection openings shall be fitted with childproof airtight covers, which are capable of being readily removed and replaced by one adult. Access opening covers shall not be cemented or otherwise fixed in position so as to be incapable of being readily removed for inspection purposes.
  • Food waste disposal units are not recommended for use with septic tank systems. If used in household situations, a maximum extra allowance of 25% shall be made for additional sludge storage.
  • Spa baths over 200-Litre capacity are not to be connected to the primary septic tank. These can be connected directly to the distribution pit. To cater for the additional effluent load, the sub soil absorption trenches will need to be increased accordingly.
  1. Effluent Disposal Areas
  • Effluent disposal areas (absorption trenches or irrigation area) are to be sized in accordance with Appendix 1 - Table 1 Effluent Disposal Rates.
  • Effluent disposal areas specified in Table 1 are for households of up to six persons only or daily wastewater flows of not more than 660 Litres per day. Larger households may need an increased disposal area.
  • Persons wishing to install a disposal area, which does not comply with Table 1, are required to discuss their proposal with the Environmental Health Officer prior to lodging their application.
  • The maintenance conditions attached to the permit will remain in force for the duration of the efficient lifespan of the system, and must be complied with at all times.
  1. Effluent Disposal Trenches

Effluent disposal trenches must be:

  • Along the contour of the land. They DO NOT need to be straight or parallel with each other.
  • At least 6 metres upslope or 3 metres down slope from any building.
  • At least 6 metres upslope or 3 metres down slope from any property boundary.
  • Be located in an area where the effluent disposal system is not subjected to vehicular traffic and access by live stock.
  • At least 6 metres upslope or 3 metres down slope from swimming or wading pools.
  • At least 3 metres from any water supply pipe, gas pipe, underground power line, telecommunications cable, storm water drain or any pipeline not part of the approved wastewater system.
  • At least 15 metres from any cutting or escarpment from which the effluent is likely to emerge.
  • At least 20 metres from any underground water tank or bore (potable or non-potable).
  • At least 6 metres from a storm water drain
  • At least 60 metres from any dam or reservoir, (stock & non-potable) or stream or channel (continuous or ephemeral, non-potable).
  • 100 metres upslope of a domestic water supply channel.
  • 300 metres from a domestic water supply reservoir.
  • Setbacks to be in accordance with Appendix 2: Minimum Setback requirements for Wastewater Disposal Areas.
  • On land with a slope of less than 5%.
  • Effluent drains are to an approved 90mm diameter slotted PVC pipe, laid on a grade of not exceeding 1:400.
  • No trench is to exceed 30 metres in length.
  • A minimum clear distance of 3 metres should be maintained between the edges of any two parallel trenches.
  • A layer of paper or geotextile must be laid over the aggregate prior to backfilling the trench.
  • Depth of trenches should not exceed 600mm, usually laid at a depth of 450mm.
  • Aggregate in the trench is to be 20-40mm in size, to a minimum depth of 250mm.
  • A cut-off drain must be installed at approx. 3 metres upslope of effluent disposal drains where there is a possibility of any surface, ground or roof water entering the trench system.
  • Refer Appendix 1 – Effluent Disposal Rates.
  • See Appendix 4 for suitable plants for use in Wastewater Disposal areas.

Effluent Distribution Pit

  • A distribution pit shall be provided at the commencement of the disposal system to facilitate the distribution, inspection and sampling of effluent.
  • The minimum internal dimension of the pit shall be 250mm and be constructed of an approved material. The inlet pipe shall enter the pit at least 50mm above the level of the floor.
  • All distribution pits are to be weird back.
  1. On-site Wastewater Treatment Units

All On-Site Wastewater Treatment Units must be installed in accordance with the EPA’s Guidelines for Environmental Management Code of Practice – Onsite Wastewater Management Publication 891.4 July 2016 and be of a type that treats all wastes.

  • All installations shall comply with EPA’s Guidelines for Environmental Management Code of Practice – Onsite Wastewater Management Publication 891.4July 2016, and AS 3500 National Plumbing and Drainage Code.
  • Treatment Units are to be installed in accordance with the design and specifications detailed in the Environmental Protection Authority’s Conditions of Approval for the system being used, and in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations
  • The system is to be installed by a Registered Plumber or their representative.
  • The system must be installed with all inspection and access openings over all chambers being brought up to ground-surface level.
  • Maintenance of the systems by a competently trained person or servicing agent must be carried out at least once every three (3) months, or in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.
  • A copy of all maintenance reports and any analysis of the effluent must be submitted to Council within fourteen (14) days of completion of service activity.
  • An alarm system with suitable visual and/or audio with mute facility must be installed in an appropriate location to indicate a failure of any effluent pump or aeration component.
  • Effluent from the system is to be discharged to a designated irrigation area. The total area for irrigation will depend on the soil type. See Appendix 1 for further details.
  • Under the EPA’s Guidelines for Environmental Management Code of Practice – Onsite Wastewater Management Publication 891.4 July 2016 recycled water may be used for growing fruit or vegetables provided the recycled water does not come into contact with the edible part of the plant.
  • The irrigation area must be operated so as to prevent any run-off of recycled water being discharged from the premises.
  • All storm or surface water is to be diverted away from the irrigation area.
  • All irrigation pipe work and fittings in the system must comply with AS2698. All plastic pipe work must be either colour coded (Purple) or clearly labelled to indicate it is being used to convey wastewater or recycled water. The system must be maintained at a constant high pressure to ensure no fictional loss is achieved throughout the effluent distribution network. For high risk allotments a rotor value (diversion value) may be required to ensure that effluent from each pump cycle is directed to a separate distribution line.
  • For subsurface irrigation lines, 20-40mm aggregate is to be installed throughout the subsurface irrigation system to a depth of 150mm.
  • The irrigation system must be a permanently fixed system with distribution pipelines buried at a minimum depth of 150mm. Drippers are to be spaced so that recycled water is evenly distributed over the irrigation area.
  • See Appendix 2 for applicable setbacks for wastewater treatment plants.

  1. How to calculate daily Wastewater Discharge

The wastewater loading rate for your proposed dwelling should be designed to cater for the maximum number of persons that could be accommodate in your dwelling at any one time.

The EPA’s Guidelines for Environmental Management Code of Practice – Onsite Wastewater Management Publication 891.4 July 2016 provides the following formula for estimating the daily waste water loading rate for your septic tank or wastewater treatment plant. This formula is based on the number of bedrooms plus 1 x (the Litres per household per day).

The wastewater loading calculation can range from 200 Litres per day to 115 Litres per day.The reduction in the daily wastewater loading rate would be based on the source of the water supply (roof catchment or reticulated) or the number of water sensitive features installed within the dwelling.

A wastewater loading rate of 115 litres per day would be considered by Council if the following water reduction fixtures and appliances are installed and are operational on a daily basis:

  • Dual flush 11/5.5 toilets
  • Shower flow restrictions
  • Aerated taps
  • Water Conserving automatic washing machines
  • Additional water reduction strategies would include recycling treated grey water (water must meet designated quality requirements) for toilet flushing and/or use as the source of cold water for washing machines.

DOMESTIC WASTEWATER APPLICATION GUIDEPage 1 of 23