Murray Bridge Eastside CWMS Study
The Rural City of Murray Bridge is currently undertaking a review into existing onsite wastewater systems and feasibility into a Community Wastewater Management System (CWMS) for Murray Bridge Eastside. This project is to occur throughout the 2020/21 and 2021/22 financial years.
Murray Bridge East does not have access to the provision of SA Water sewer infrastructure or any form of CWMS. In the absence of such infrastructure, residents can only accommodate wastewater via an individual onsite wastewater system within their property boundaries.
This results in the portion of the allotment containing the wastewater system being unable to be used for the enjoyment of the occupants of the dwelling or for the construction of secondary residential buildings (sheds, swimming pools etc.).
In addition, in the event of a system failure, the costs can potentially be significant for the repair or replacement of on-site wastewater systems contributing to financial hardship or inadequately functioning systems / unlawful means of effluent disposal.
The most efficient and effective methods of wastewater management involve connection to SA Water sewer or a CWMS. Proactively the Council is undertaking this review to determine the level of functionality that existing on-site wastewater systems have in Murray Bridge East to assist in determining whether there is sufficient rationale and justification for the exploration of options for a communal scheme.
It is important to note that this project is for research and information gathering purposes only. The information that is obtained will be used to inform Council’s approach to wastewater management in Murray Bridge East in the future and further communication with residents will occur as the project progresses.
FAQS
A CWMS is a type of wastewater system that will collect wastewater from individual properties and take it to another location to be further treated. There are many different types of systems and they vary in how they operate and their size.
Please refer to this webpage for further information.
Council administration are currently reviewing existing wastewater system records and making arrangements for the inspection of all on-site wastewater systems. Council has engaged a Contractor to undertake these inspections of about 900 properties on Murray Bridge Eastside. The Contractor will be looking at the condition of the existing wastewater system and whether there is enough area on your property to accommodate a new system if your system was to fail in the future. All properties will be divided into specific zones and will receive a letter two weeks prior to the inspections occurring
The purpose of these site visits are to:
- Understand what onsite wastewater systems are in this area.
- Find out the location and condition of these systems
- Assess whether there is adequate area on the allotment that can accommodate a new wastewater system in the event a new system is required.
It is important to note that this study is to determine if there are any issues/problems with onsite wastewater systems in general, not about penalising people.
Information gained from these visits will then enable Council to justify the need to investigate further whether a common wastewater management system such as a CWMS or connection to SA Water sewer is suitable. This study is only looking at the feasibility of this type of system.
The installation of a CWMS has a number of benefits for property owners and the community such as:
- Ease for owners (i.e. not having to worry about servicing or maintenance)
- Increased availability of usable area within the property boundaries
- Improved public health outcomes
- Increased development opportunities
- Increased property values
You do not need to be at your property for this visit. Council has reviewed our records and our Contractor has a sound knowledge in where your onsite wastewater system will be. Ensuring that our Contractor can easily gain access to your property is vital to ensuring their safety and efficiency.
Please contact Victoria Mayfield on 8539 1100 or via email on v.mayfield@murraybridge.sa.gov.au to organise a specific date and time for this inspection to occur.
This information will be collated and developed into a report. From here Council will decide if they wish to investigate the feasibility of a communal wastewater system and use the report for funding opportunities.
This study is to determine if there are any problems in this area with onsite wastewater systems and the long-term public health impacts. It is important to be truthful and that your systems are inspected as you use them. Collecting true information is vital for the accurate representation of data. Council’s Environmental Health Officers are available to discuss this further and can be contacted on 8539 1100 or by email at health@murraybridge.sa.gov.au.
The contractor undertaking the inspections is Mr Phil Eckert. Mr Eckert is a qualified Environmental Health Officer and Plumber and has a strong knowledge base around wastewater systems. He can be contacted on 0432 462 001 or by email at p.eckert@ashbourneconsulting.com.au.
The Council Contact for this project is Mr Jeremy Byrnes, Team Leader of Regulation at the Rural City of Murray Bridge. He can be contacted at the Local Government Centre on (08) 8539 1100 or by email at j.byrnes@murraybridge.sa.gov.au.