By Grace McCaughey *
The Victorian EPA Information Bulletin Domestic Wastewater Management Series Publication 629 November 1998 part 7 outlines the annual returns required to be submitted to the EPA:
“Under section 530 of the Environment Protection Act 1970, Councils are obliged to submit an annual return to EPA each July, detailing septic tank systems within the municipality and whether they discharge off site. Councils are encouraged to include an assessment of the septic tank systems in the municipality, and identify townships where septic tank systems are failing and where reticulated sewerage or an alternative system should be installed”.
“From discussions with other municipalities, our officers recognised that we could be lagging where the percentage of pet registration compliance was concerned,” Penny Holoway said.
It appears that this has not always taken place and the EPA has not carried out its responsibility to obtain this information.
So instead of having years of relevant records on the operation of septic tanks and waste water pollution for specific areas, there is often little objective scientific information on which to base any future decisions on what steps should be undertaken to process town waste water.
It would be useful to know how many Victorian or Australian Councils take responsibility for small town waste water or how many carry out their reporting responsibilities to the EPA.
Anecdotal evidence for Newstead, Victoria shows that less than 20 percent of septics are not effectively operational. Yet the State Government has had plans, since the Kennett days, to install a reticulated sewerage scheme which is very expensive to build and maintain.
For Newstead, the scheme is for 180 out of the total 210 households, mainly half acre blocks, at a cost of $1.9 million.
Each household would also pay $800 connection fee, on site works varying from $1000-$4000 and an annual rate of $295 for the first three years.
That is $60,000 leaving Newstead, population 480, annually. About enough to put one of the dozen retail businesses out of operation.
All this when many smaller, cheaper and environmentally sustainable solutions are available.
NOSSIG – National On Site Systems Interest Group of the Australian Water Association specialises in promoting high standard on site waste water systems. Their Annual Conference is in Armidale from 25-27 September 2001 (email lanfax.labs@science.com.au)
Dr Jonathan Crockett of Gutteridge, Haskin and Davey writing in Water November 2000 said that we need to have permanent water restrictions to assist the community to move to more ecologically sustainable development.
This would lead to increased use of waterless toilets, re use of greywater for gardens and low water use appliances.
A major change in community attitudes and the direction of our consumer driven economy will be required. We need to look at our reasons for adding faecal matter to good quality potable water and then spending billions treating the mixture.
Dr Crockett’s ideas are possible and if implemented would have many beneficial spin offs to the whole community.
* Grace McCaughey is a Research Officer (Voluntary) with the Newstead Waste Treatment Group email nwtg@castlemaine.net.au. She is also a former Councillor with the City of Bainsdale.
