Moriac Septic and Stormwater Study

Published on 29 June 2021

Septic.jpg

June 2021

In September 2019, we sent an information flyer to Moriac property owners to advise that Council was about to review septic tank and stormwater systems. The purpose of the review was to understand how their stormwater and septic systems operate, identify any potential risks to the environment and people, and to develop the Moriac Storm Water and Septic Study Report and Action Plan.

The investigation included both desktop and on-site audits of 212 properties within the main town of Moriac, a review of existing wastewater management plans, septic tank complaints received at Council, and stormwater sampling.

The investigation is now complete and we have shared the key findings with the Moriac community. Here is the full report(PDF, 9MB).

Key findings

  • The soils and landscape in Moriac are naturally poor for on-site domestic wastewater management.
  • 71% of properties have septic tank and sand filter systems (secondary treatment).
  • 50% of systems are disposing of effluent via a movable hose, which does not meet current standards.
  • 43% of systems are considered end of life, or over 20 years of age.
  • 44% are 11 to 20 years old and will be reaching their end of life in 5 to 10 years.
  • 17 properties were identified which might have off-site discharge arrangements.
  • Water sampling results were inconclusive, except to indicate that at times there are levels of human waste present within the stormwater system, and the high nutrient levels indicate that there is potential for contamination due to greywater discharge.

Recommendations

The Report recommendations are:

  • Provide education to residents on servicing/maintenance of systems, and responsibilities under the new Environment Protection Act 2017 due to come into force on 1 July 2021.
  • Implement ongoing sampling program of Thompson Creek and the Hendy Main Road stormwater infrastructure to ensure any potential contamination is monitored.
  • Investigate drainage infrastructure in the older part of the town and identify any improvements that can be instigated to alleviate storm water run-off issues.
  • Investigate potential upgrades to drainage infrastructure on Hendy Main Road in conjunction with Regional Roads Victoria (RRV) to minimise water pooling and surfacing over footpaths.
  • Consider feasibility of a Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) asset to be installed at the end of the Hendy Main Road Stormwater infrastructure to improve water quality prior to discharging to Thompson Creek.
  • Provide this report to Barwon Water and advocate to undertake a feasibility study into providing a reticulated sewer, factoring in future developments and the Moriac Structure Plan.
  • Update existing septic tank register and maintenance program for all Council-owned septic tank systems.

Next steps

  • An Action Plan is included in the report with most recommendations of the report to be implemented using existing Council resources.
  • Some other actions are subject to additional funding, such as an ongoing stormwater sampling program and feasibility study of a WSUD asset along Hendy Main Road to improve water quality prior to discharging to Thompson Creek.  
  • Please refer to the Action Plan within the report for further information.

Update on the new Environment Protection Act 2017 (EP Act)

  • The new Environment Protection Act 2017 (EP Act) creates a General Environmental Duty (GED) that applies to all Victorians from 1 July 2021. The GED requires anyone conducting an activity that poses risks to human health and the environment from pollution and waste, to minimise those risks.
  • The GED applies to people who own or use an on-site wastewater management system (OWMS), including septic tank systems and secondary treatment systems. It also applies to construction, installation, alteration, operation and maintenance of the system, dealing with faults or system failures and managing waste.
  • People seeking further information on obligations under the EP Act, what they mean, and how to look after an OWMS, can find a link the EPA ‘Guidance for owners & occupiers of land with an OWMS ≤ 5000 litres on any day (including septic tank systems(PDF, 147KB))’.

Please contact Council’s Environmental Health Unit to discuss the findings of the report, or for any advice on your septic system.

 

Tagged as:
Back to top