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Department of Health - Waste Water Management Section |
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Written by Administrator
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Thursday, 17 May 2007 |
Composting toilets or other Blackwater (toilet waste) systems
Before installation, an application for the approval of a composting toilet or other blackwater (toilet waste) system of must be submitted to the Department of Health. Individual site or environmental considerations identified by Departmental officers when assessing the application may require the applicant to provide more details. (Guides are also available for greywater systems and reed bed systems.) This guide specifies the information that must be provided with the application for assessment by DH for approval. Some treatment options have been provided.
1 Location & site characteristics
- A plan showing detailed directions to locate the property.
- A scaled plan of the property and all nearby land and buildings and the land use of nearby properties
- A site plan showing the location of the house/building, boundaries, recreation areas, composting toilet (or other blackwater system) location and greywater treatment and disposal system
- Details of site characteristics, such as topography, proximity to any watercourses, bores, marine environment, etc.
2 Treatment & disposal of all wastewater
A composting toilet (or any other type blackwater treatment system) is part of an overall property wastewater management system. The following information on the management of the whole system is required.
Method of greywater treatment & disposal Options include:
- A 1620L septic tank or other type of primary treatment approved for installation in SA;
- Sub-surface disposal of primary or secondary treated greywater (for minimum of six persons & considering soil percolation rate) in accordance with the SAHC Code Waste Control Systems-Standard for the Construction, Installation and Operation of Septic Tank Systems in South
- Australia; OR
- As a secondary treatment, a reedbed for treatment with surface (if disinfected) or sub-surface disposal of reedbed effluent; OR
- Other type of secondary treatment system approved for installation in SA and achieving the reclaimed water quality required for the final reuse/disposal method of treated greywater; OR
- Connection to SA Water sewerage or a private or council scheme
AS/NZS 1547 - Onsite Domestic WastewaterManagement may be used as a guide for designing alternative irrigation or land disposal systems with greywater or all wastewater.
Plumbing plan
The plan of the plumbing layout for the wastewater/greywater collection system must comply with Australian Standard AS 3500.5.
3 Disposal of composted material or effluent from other black water systems
Method of disposal for composted material
Composted material must be buried for at least 6 months after a completed composting period of 12 months in the composting toilet system before the site can be used for food crop plantation.
Set backs for the burial of composted material
The burial site for composted material must have the same setbacks from any water courses, bores, wells, dams and the marine environment as for septic tank soakage systems described in the SAHC Code Waste Control Systems, Standard for the Installation and Operation of Septic Tank systems in South Australia.
Offsite disposal (if required)
If burial onsite is not possible then the offsite disposal method must be fully described in the application. The material must have completed a 12 month composting period in the composting toilet system before disposal. Similarly for any other type of blackwater system the onsite or offsite disposal of the final blackwater effluent must be specified in the application.
4 New system designs
For a new composting toilet system design that has not previously been approved for installation in SA, the following additional information must be provided:
- Chute and chamber details, material, design and operational details with supporting engineering calculations and specifications
- Details of the toilet enclosure, including the toilet seat, fly proofing features, ventilation mechanisms, and childproof structural precautions
- Details of access to the chute and chamber for removal of compost material
A proposal for a blackwater system that has not previously been approved for installation in SA must be supported by information on the material, design and operational details with relevant engineering calculations and specifications when the application is submitted.
Additional information and engineering data may be required for DH approval, depending on the site characteristics, wastewater source, and system design and operation requirements.
More information
ABN 97 643 356 590
Wastewater Management Section
Environmental Health Service
Department of Health
CGU Building 150 Grenfell St ADELAIDE SA 5000
www.health.sa.gov.au/pehs/environ-health-index.htm
PO Box 6 Rundle Mall ADELAIDE SA 5000
Telephone: (08) 8226-7100
Fax: (08) 8226-7102
Email:
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Web: www.health.sa.gov.au/pehs/environ-health-index.htm |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 06 June 2007 )
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