Onsite Sewage

If your home is not connected to the sewer, you may have an on-site sewage management system, such as a septic tank, composting toilet or aerated system.

There are special regulations that apply to these systems. As the owner of the property, it is your responsibility to ensure that the system is approved by your local council and that it is working properly.  On-site systems can be a risk to the health of your family and other community members if they are not properly maintained. They can also cause harm to the environment.

To ensure that your system meets the requirements, you will need to obtain two approvals from council:

• The first approval is to install the system - if installing a brand new system you will need approval in the form of a S68 Application. This is part of the Development Application Process
• The second approval is to operate the system(PDF, 325KB)

After you obtain these approvals, the council will carry out regular inspections to make sure the system is working properly. Councils can charge inspection fees for this service.

If you have purchased a property with an on-site sewage management system you will need to transfer the system into your name. 

• Application to transfer approval (PDF, 419KB)

If you have any questions about the on-site sewage system requirements, your local council can help, or consult the Easy Septic Guide which you can download by clicking on the link or see our fact sheets below.