Applied Environmental Health ~ Wastewater Management

Wastewater Collection and Treatment Systems for Towns
and other Large Developments

Communities or developers may choose to install collection and treatment systems that service whole towns, a cluster of premises, tourist developments, new subdivisions or developments on Aboriginal lands as an alternative to each property owner treating and disposing of wastewater onsite (within property boundaries).

Community systems designed to collect and treat wastewater from each property using a common network can include  gravity raw sewage systems, a combination of gravity and pumped mains, vacuum collection systems and pumping from each premises to common mains or Septic Tank Effluent Drainage Schemes (STEDS). The wastewater  treatment may include systems utilising various technologies with the reuse of reclaimed water (final treated effluent).

The extent of treatment provided by the system must be suitable for the safe reuse or disposal of the reclaimed water. Treatment methods may include activated sludge, extended aeration, intermittently aerated / decanted systems, trickling filters, bio-reactors, sand filters, micro-filters, low or high technology systems and any other technologies.

New and innovative designs are encouraged. However, for new system designs, conditions of approval may require more stringent operational and/or final effluent quality standards, at least in the initial stages.

Approval 

Approval must be obtained before a town and community wastewater collection and treatment system (including systems for reclaimed water reuse) is installed.

Applications for approval must be submitted to the Department's Wastewater Management Section (authorised officers of the Department of Health with the delegated authority from the Minister of Health).

An application fee applies. Contact the Wastewater Management Section for the current fee. We recommend that you discuss the proposed installation with Department Officers in the early stages of planning a development. There may be important design considerations that need to be identified before planning decisions are made.

You can find more information in our Design criteria for hydraulic and BOD₅ loading page.

The details of the effluent treatment for reclaimed water reuse must be provided as part of an application for approval.

Other Government Agencies 

Applicants must make sure they comply with the approval requirements of other government agencies. Compliance with other agency requirements is separate from the Department's approval process.

Development approval ~ for development approval requirements contact the local council and/or Development Assessment Commission - Planning SA

Environment Protection Agency (EPA) ~ we recommend that you contact the EPA Operations Branch on 8204-2004 in the early stages of planning. The EPA has published the South Australian Biosolids Guidelines for the safe handling, reuse or disposal of biosolids (PDF 553k) as a guide to the beneficial, safe and sustainable reuse of biosolids from wastewater:

Standards and Codes 

The following publications should be used in the design and installation of a wastewater collection system where applicable:

• SA STEDS Guidelines, design criteria and standards for septic tank effluent drainage schemes

• SA STEDS Construction Manual and Technical Specifications

• SA Water DS 11- Sewerage Systems Code and Construction Documentation. SA Water can be contacted on 8207-7758 (General Manager - Retail)

• Sewerage Code of Australia WSA 02 - 1999 This code can be obtained from Water Services Association of Australia or from Standards Australia at 63 Greenhill Road, Wayville SA 503. Telephone: 1300 65 46 46.

• Pressure Sewerage Code of Australia WSA 07-2005. This code can be obtained from Water Services Association of Australia or from Standards Australia at 63 Greenhill Road, Wayville SA 503. Telephone: 1300 65 46 46.

• Vacuum Sewerage Code of Australia WSA 06-2004. This code can be obtained from Water Services Association of Australia or from Standards Australia at 63 Greenhill Road, Wayville SA 503. Telephone: 1300 65 46 46.

• AS/NZS 3500.2 Plumbing and Drainage Part 2 Sanitary Plumbing and Drainage.

• Plumbing Code of Australia.

All community developments of less than 20 units (including high rise apartments) which do not incorporate access roads, are to be designed using AS/NZS 3500.2. All other developments are to be designed using the respective sewerage or STEDS Codes as listed above.

Application form 

The application form specifies the information necessary for the approval of the collection and treatment system and for reclaimed water reuse.

Application for wastewater systems and reclaimed water reuse schemes for towns, subdivisions and communities

Wastewater Management | Approved wastewater products list | Standard Onsite Wastewater Systems | Wastewater systems for towns and other larger developments | Alternative Onsite Systems |  Pre-manufactured products for sale and use in installations in SA | Reclaimed Water Reuse | Seminar 2006 | Seminar 2003

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