Town of Gawler residents can not all assume they are connected to SA Water’s Sewerage System. There are a number of townships within the Council that are required to have an on-site wastewater treatment and disposal system (i.e. a septic tank, aerobic wastewater treatment system or sand filter). These areas include:
- Evanston
- Evanston Gardens
- Evanston Park
- Parts of Gawler East
- Gawler West
- Hillier
- Kudla
- Kalbeeba
- Reid
If you live within one of these townships and have an on-site wastewater system, it is important that you understand the type of system, correct operation and maintenance requirements associated with it. Misuse of an onsite wastewater system can result in potential health risks, increased costs of maintenance and possible penalties under the Public Health Act.
If you have recently purchased a property and are unsure what type of wastewater system you have, contact Council’s Health team on health@gawler.sa.gov.au or by phone on 8522 9211.
Installing or altering an existing Wastewater System
If you are building a new home in an area where an onsite wastewater system is required, you will need to complete an application for onsite wastewater works and submit the relevant documentation and drawings to Council for approval prior to installation. New systems, and alterations to existing systems must be designed by a qualified wastewater engineer who will determine a system suitable for your development and prepare an engineering report to support your application.
Once your application has been approved by Council, your licensed plumber is responsible for undertaking the works as per Council approval, notifying Council at relevant inspection stages (underfloor, drains, tank installation, irrigation area installation and any other relevant times) and submitting a certificate of compliance to Council upon completion. Wastewater applications must include the following documentation:
- A completed application form (signed by both applicant and owner if applicable)
- A scaled site plan, showing the location of the proposed wastewater system
- A scaled underfloor plumbing plan (if applicable) showing the connection to the proposed wastewater system
- A wastewater engineers report (for the design of the proposed system)
- The associated wastewater application fee to be paid.