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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. Information on applications for
reuse of reclaimed water can be found in our
Reclaimed Water Reuse guide, and for further information the
SA Reclaimed Water Guidelines.
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:
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 | |
