Frequently Asked Questions

Local councils are required under the Local Government Act 1993 to issue an approval for the installation and ongoing operation of on-site sewage management systems.

In recent years, Council has issued approvals for on-site sewage management systems with a reliance on property owners and service technicians to inspect and self-regulate the systems.

The on-site sewage management system program proposes to undertake inspections of on-site sewage management systems in order to protect human health and the natural environment from defective or failing systems.

Council would be seeking to educate system owners during the inspection program. The education provided by Council would assist you in understanding the appropriate operation and maintenance required for your individual system. Improvements to how you operate and maintain your on-site sewage management system can assist in ensuring its longevity and save you money on unnecessary repairs.

A combination of poor system operation and management and a lack of awareness of the impacts of defective systems can result in on-site sewage management system failure. These failures have the potential to affect public health, the local economy and our natural environment. In this regard, it is essential system owners and residents are aware and directly responsible for the use of their wastewater systems and understand the potential impact on public health and the environment.

Appropriate system operation minimises the potential for the following adverse impacts:

• Spread of disease by bacteria, viruses, parasites and other organisms in wastewater.
• Surface water and groundwater contamination.
• Pollution of waterways, which may result in the contamination of oyster harvesting and other commercial business operations.
• Degradation of soil and vegetation.
• Decreased community amenity caused by odours, noise and insects.

Contamination from faecal bacteria in waterways creates a direct risk to public health, particularly in freshwater creeks where bacteria persist for longer in the environment. Bacterial contamination also poses a direct risk to public health in estuarine areas used for recreational swimming and commercial oyster growing.

Elevated nutrient concentrations, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as increased bacteria levels are evident in waterways associated with communities that rely on on-site sewage management systems. Although nutrients are essential for the growth of aquatic plants and phytoplankton that sustain ecosystems, elevated nutrient levels can also encourage the growth of weed species and cause an increase in microalgal productivity causing algal blooms.

As detailed in the Hornsby Shire Council Waterway Health Review (1995-2017), problematic algal blooms continue to occur in the estuarine areas of the lower Hawkesbury River, and of note, Berowra Creek, impacting on the use of waterways for fishing, swimming and other recreational pursuits.

Approval from the NSW Food Authority for oyster farmers to undertake direct harvest from the Hawkesbury River without the need for depuration relies on the effective operation of on-site sewage management systems.

The application of this program would provide significant support for the 15 active oyster businesses currently operating in the Hawkesbury, given the industry annually produces more than 60,000 dozen oysters for human consumption.

Further, the establishment of an effective approval, inspection, monitoring and community education program, would assist Council in delivering key outcomes identified in Council’s Water Sensitive Hornsby and Biodiversity Conservation Management Plan. The Policy would enable a strong focus on water management and support safe communities and healthy, clean rivers and creeks whilst delivering a holistic approach to water management in meeting the challenges of population growth.

The program includes all properties that contain an on-site sewage management system that requires an approval issued by Council to operate the system. This includes all systems where sewage cannot be directly discharged to a public sewer, and those which are not specifically licensed and/or regulated by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA).

High risk systems
High risk systems are generally defined as those systems located in close proximity to recognised recreational swimming, oyster harvest areas or oyster lease areas.

Medium risk systems
Medium risk systems are generally defined as those systems not located in close proximity to recognised recreational swimming, oyster harvest areas or oyster lease areas, and those systems that are not defined as Aerated Wastewater Treatment Systems.

Low risk systems
Low risk systems are generally defined as those systems that use sensitive biological agents and chemical processes to produce a higher quality effluent than a standard septic tank. These systems are commonly known as Aerated Wastewater Treatment Systems (AWTS) and have been identified as low risk given the required regular inspections and maintenance of the systems in accordance with the requirements of NSW Health

Inspections will be undertaken sequentially based on a system’s level of risk, commencing with a selection of high-risk systems in 2024/25, followed by remaining high-risk, medium risk and low risk systems in subsequent years. Council will also prioritise inspections of systems where complaints are received, or property owners request an inspection.

In situations where Council’s assessment identifies that a system has failed and/or has the potential to cause significant environmental pollution or impact to public health, the risk level for a system may be re-evaluated.

Council may also utilise their discretionary powers to reduce the risk category of a system where deemed appropriate

Yes. Prior to the commencement of the program, Council will write to each system owner in advance of a proposed inspection.

Property owners will be given notification in writing of Council’s intention to inspect their on-site sewage management system. If an owner wishes to be present at the time of Council’s inspection, they will be given an opportunity to contact Council and arrange a mutually suitable time for the inspection to take place during regular business hours.

When a Council Officer attends a property and is unable to gain access to the on-site sewage management system or complete an inspection, the property owner will be contacted and a suitable time arranged for the inspection to be completed.

If your system is found to be defective during an inspection, Council’s officer will seek your cooperation to repair the system as soon as possible to prevent a possible environmental pollution incident or impacts to human health. Further, Council will provide you with appropriate guidance and educational resources to assist you in ensuring the system is operated and maintained correctly, minimising the likelihood of issues with your system in the future.

Should system owners be uncooperative, or rectification of the issues not be achieved in a reasonable timeframe, Council may consider available enforcement options.

No. The purpose of the program is to ensure each system is complying with its approval to operate, is working correctly and is not causing a pollution incident, regardless of a systems age.

Council’s role in the program will be as the direct point of contact for owner or service technician enquiries, to provide relevant resources to ensure a system is being operated appropriately and to ensure compliance with the conditions applied as part of a systems’ approval to operate.

Council’s role is not to design/provide engineered solutions to repair a defective system or to undertake servicing, repairs or maintenance of a system. This role will continue to fall within the scope of the wastewater/environmental contractor and/or service technician, engaged by a system owner.

Yes. Council’s officers will continue to undertake reactive inspections and investigations should Council receive reports that a system is failing or causing potential impacts to the environment or human health.

No. Council will not be charging a fee for the proactive inspections.

Yes. The conditions in Council’s approval stipulate the quarterly servicing of AWTS by an independent service technician is required.

Council officers will also inspect these systems to ensure they are operating in accordance with all other conditions of the approval to operate.

Where a change in ownership of a property occurs, an approval to operate will be issued to new property owners once Council receives information pertaining to the property transfer. Expiration dates and system requirements will be detailed in the conditions on the approval.

Educational material is available on Council’s website to ensure new owners understand the requirements of operating and maintaining their on-site sewage management system.

No. Properties in Galston, Glenorie, Brooklyn, Dangar Island, Mount Kuring-gai and Cowan that have connected to Sydney Water’s sewer line via a pressure sewerage system do not require an inspection or approval by Council. At the time of connection to the Sydney Water sewer line, your on-site wastewater system was required to be decommissioned and replaced with equipment that transfers wastewater to the Sydney Water wastewater pipe network in your street. These types of connections are also known as a ‘Pump-to-Sewer’ connection.

Whilst pressure sewerage systems are located on private property, their equipment, including the collection tank and grinder pump, alarm control panel, boundary kit and property discharge pipe, is owned and maintained by Sydney Water. Home owners are responsible for all of the wastewater pipes and fittings inside the home up to the connection point of the pressure sewage system.

Property owners who are connected to Sydney Water’s sewer by a pressure sewage system pay annual wastewater service fees for their sewer connection. The service fees enable Sydney Water to carry out inspections of the pressure sewage system equipment as part of their maintenance and safety program. These inspections ensure the equipment is kept in good working condition.

Further information about approvals and educational material can be found on Council’s website.

Guidelines for wastewater systems and their correct operation can also be found on NSW Health.

Applicable legislation for on-site sewage management systems including the Local Government Act 1993, Local Government (General) Regulation 2021, and the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 can be found at NSW Legislation.