Our 2006 report, Protecting our environment and community from failing septic tanks, made recommendations to improve the management of onsite systems. Table B1 identifies the recommendations and our assessment of agencies progress made in addressing these.

Figure B1
Progress on 2006 VAGO recommendations

We have consulted with DELWP, EPA, MPSC, YRC, SEW and YVW, and we considered their views when reaching our audit conclusions. As required by section 16(3) of the Audit Act 1994, we gave a draft copy of this report, or relevant extracts, to those agencies and asked for their submissions and comments. We also provided a copy of the report to the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Responsibility for the accuracy, fairness and balance of those comments rests solely with the agency head.

Responses were received as follows:

Backlog programs implemented by water authorities do not aim to provide services to all unsewered properties; rather, they are responsive programs that target high-risk unsewered areas. Councils identify these areas and refer them to water authorities for prioritisation through the development of sewerage management plans, which now form part of a water authority's five-year water plan.

An effective regulatory framework and strong oversight of its performance and implementation is essential for responsible agencies to manage the environmental and health risks posed by the poor management of domestic wastewater.

In this part of the report, we examine how effectively the regulatory framework for onsite systems manages these risks.

Today, property owners must apply to their council for a permit to install, use or alter an onsite system. The permit process ensures that property owners only install EPA-approved systems. These systems, if installed and used properly, meet the relevant Australian standards, comply with SEPP (WoV) requirements and EPA's CoP to ensure they effectively treat and maintain wastewater on site.

Councils administer the permit process, ensuring that property owners and tenants comply with permit conditions and, where this is not happening, undertake enforcement action.

The key risks from poorly treated and managed domestic wastewater fall into two categories—public health and environmental.

SEPP (WoV) states that councils should use a DWMP to identify and refer high‑risk unsewered townships to water authorities for inclusion in their backlog programs. To effectively identify and assess risks to public health and the environment from poorly performing onsite systems, councils need to:

Domestic wastewater is derived from bathrooms, kitchens, laundries and toilets. It includes human waste (containing pathogens), paper, soap, detergent residues and food scraps.

Effective treatment and management of this wastewater is necessary to protect public health and the environment. Wastewater is treated either through discharge to sewer or to an individual onsite system—most commonly a septic tank.

Effective treatment and management of domestic wastewater—generated by kitchens, laundries and toilets—is integral to managing the public health and environmental risks posed by this waste. This is done either by treating the waste on site or by connecting to sewer.

Ordered to be published

VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT PRINTER September 2018

PP No 443, Session 2014–18