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The overall program and its projects

Q: What is the Country Towns Water Supply and Sewerage program?

A: The program is a State Government initiative to help small towns that have critical health and environmental issues.

The program spent $42 million bringing new sewerage and water services to small towns all over Victoria:

Sewerage services

• $17 million to be invested in sewerage services for towns with the most urgent problems;
• $12 million to be invested in sewerage services on towns in the Gippsland Lakes area;
• $6 million on "showcase" towns that will develop innovative sewerage solutions that other towns can learn from;
• $3 million to councils to prepare domestic wastewater management plans - these plans will prevent future risk to public health and the environment.

Water services

• $4 million to be invested in water supply services for towns with the most urgent problems.

The program is part of the Government's Our Water Our Future action plan for sustainable water management.

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Sewerage Services

Q: Which towns were funded?

A: Towns in the top priority ranking - with the most critical health and environmental problems.

Q: Was every town on the investment plan's priority list definitely funded?

A: The town is guaranteed to receive initial funding. The remainder will be given after successful completion of this stage.

This first stage funding allows the council to employ a consultant to work with the community and water authority to develop a preferred option for a new sewerage scheme.
Further funding depends on the town identifying a satisfactory solution that has the appropriate level of community support.

Q: So some towns can be on the priority list but may not eventually receive the rest of the funding?

A: Yes - it is highly unlikely, but some towns may not proceed because the community does not want to proceed further or because no appropriate solution can be found.

Q: What happens then?

A: The council will develop a domestic wastewater management plan for the town to manage the identified public health and environmental problems.

This will probably include supporting the community in the better management of existing septic tanks.

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Gippsland Lakes project

Q: What is happening for the Gippsland Lakes?

A: The $12 million for Gippsland Lakes will be allocated to provide sewerage works in Loch Sport, Seaspray and Banksia Peninsula.

The towns were identified in the State Government's Gippsland Lakes Action Plan.
Seaspray will be implemented soon.

The relevant councils - Banksia Peninsula (East Gippsland Shire), Loch Sport (Wellington Shire) and Seaspray (Wellington Shire) - have received funding to work with the community and water authority.

Wellington Shire is investigating the feasibility of including the township of Honeysuckle in its program.

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Innovations project

Q: What is this project?

A: A research and showcase part of the overall program. The 15 towns selected are developing innovative solutions that other towns can use or learn from.

Q: What are the towns?

A: Bethanga, Birregurra, Dingee, Dumbalk, Great Western, Kinglake, Lake Bolac, Meeniyan, Milawa, Mitiamo, Murrabit, Smythesdale, Tambo Bluff, Waubra, and Yanakie.

Q: How is the funding being distributed?

A: The towns received initial funding through their councils, for community consultation and to develop concepts.

The towns are now finalising their concept designs and identifying a preferred option for providing the services.

The preferred options proposed by councils will be reviewed by a working group before funding is provided to the water authority to implement a scheme.

Q: What are some of the innovative solutions they are considering?

A: The types of solutions generally involve a "softer" engineering approach, which still involves connecting properties to a local wastewater treatment system.

In some cases, the use of wetlands is proposed for final treatment of the wastewater. The opportunities for reuse or recycling of the water for use in the town or on adjacent farms is important.

The innovations are usually approaches that have been successful elsewhere but have had limited or no application in Victoria so far.

These options will be valuable demonstrations for all towns in similar circumstances - whether the town is accepted into the overall program or undertakes a scheme on its own.

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Domestic wastewater management plans and statewide assessment of needs.

Q: What is the domestic wastewater management project doing?

A: This project has helped local government identify priorities by developing plans to manage domestic wastewater.

Municipal Association of Victoria managed this part of the program for the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

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Why the program is needed

Q: Why is sewerage a problem in some regional communities?

A: Well-managed septic tanks in the appropriate situation work well. But sewerage disposal can be a problem if septic tanks are not working effectively.

Over 400 small towns and settlements are not connected to traditional sewerage systems and generally use septic tank systems. For some towns this is appropriate but, for other towns, septic tanks do not offer an adequate solution.

When septic tanks do not function properly, are damaged or are on blocks too small for infiltration trenches to work properly, the effluent can present a public health or environmental risk.

The effluent can leak out of the tank and through the property into neighbouring land, groundwater, rivers, lakes, and the sea. This can create a risk to public health and the environment.

In extreme cases, the risk to public health can be high - for example, effluent leaking into rivers can contaminate rivers that supply drinking water.

Effluent can also damage the environment, in particular rivers and streams where a lot of waste will eventually flow.

Q: How can septic tanks be causing this? Aren't septic tanks installed with permits and monitored by local councils? And wouldn't property owners know if their septic tank was leaking?

A: Since the early 1990's councils have issued permits for new tanks. However, a large majority of older septic tanks do not have a permit. In some instances tanks only treat black water; the greywater often goes into the drains along streets.

Councils have usually not monitored septic tanks,this can be very costly.
However, this is changing. Septic tanks are recognised as being appropriate if the block of land is large enough to retain used water on site and the septic tanks is maintained in good order.

Often the problems with septic tanks are not seen or recognised by the householder. This is particularly true on sandy soils where the effluent goes to the groundwater, which becomes contaminated. This is a potential health risk if the groundwater is used for drinking.

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The program and you

Q: Will the program affect me?

A: The program is relevant to you if you live in a small town that has sewerage problems linked to the use of septic tanks.

You will probably already know if your town has these types of problems that could affect public health or the environment. Your council most probably will be aware, even if the issue is not known throughout the community.

You can contact your local council to find out more about what the council may be planning for your town and whether it has proposed your town for the program.

Q: How were problems deemed urgent?

A: The information provided by all councils is assessed by the Department. The Department does this in consultation with the EPA and Department of Human Services.

Q: If our town doesn't get funding, are we stuck with the problem?

A: The Country Towns Water and Sewerage Supply program is not the only way that these problems can be fixed. This program is focussing on helping fund the most urgent problems.

A council can still go ahead with a new scheme for a town at any time.

Sometimes a scheme is not necessary to fix the problem to a satisfactory degree.

Councils without reticulated sewerage services were offered funding assistance to develop domestic wastewater management plans for towns. These plans will identify problems and determine how best to manage them.

For water supply issues, your local council should contact the Department of Human Services and the water authority to seek advice.

Q: What if I don't want to connect to sewerage? Or What if my septic tank isn't a problem but they want to put a scheme through the area?

A: In most cases the problems are severe enough that communities recognise the problems and want to have them fixed.

But in some cases, communities can have mixed views about putting a scheme through the area (for example, some people living in small towns fear a scheme may bring development and change the area).

Under State Government guidelines for the program, for a scheme to be implemented there must be a reasonable level of support for the scheme within the community.
If the council cannot demonstrate that support, the town will not be forced to accept a scheme.

Once a scheme is in place, all property owners are encouraged to connect on the basis that, once funded, a scheme should achieve optimal outcomes. If a large number of people remain unconnected, the environmental or public health problem may remain and the investment will be wasted to some degree.

Q: We want big sewerage pipes, traditional solutions that are guaranteed to work. Why is the program pushing cheaper, innovative sewerage solutions that might be risky?

A: Traditional solutions have been developed over the centuries for bigger towns. There are many reasons for this - for example, traditional solutions while expensive can be economical when costs are spread over a very large number of property owners.

When only a limited number of property owners have to pay for and operate a full traditional scheme, costs can be enormous.

Country towns have opportunities that cities don't and these chances should be used:

• Communities can seek solutions that better fit their needs ie they can develop schemes that allow reuse of water for the dry oval despite the drought.
• They can seek softer engineering solutions such as the use of wetlands rather than a full treatment plant, so property owners pay less and an environmental and landscape asset is created for the town.
• They can seek to tailor solutions to the properties that really have a problem while others can remain outside the scheme.
• The schemes can be to the best possible scale, not sized for future development if there is no planned development for the town.
• Town communities can have a direct input into designing the solution.
• The right innovative solutions can give a town flexibility in planning for the future.

Q: What if we put in an innovative solution that doesn't work?

A: This is highly unlikely. The process will be managed by your area's water corporation, with considerable expertise in managing and delivering projects.

The working group and the water corporation will expertly assess the efficiency of such schemes and their suitability for your town.

Q: What happens if a property owner with a failing septic tank refuses to connect to a new service? Can they be forced to connect?

A: The Environment Protection Authority, the Department of Human Services or the council can ask the water corporation to connect a property if it represents an environment or public health risk. The connection is then compulsory.

Property owners usually connect willingly within a short time, if not immediately.

Sewerage and water services often improve living standards, can be a comfort to the elderly. There are no blocked septics to repair, no empty rainwater tanks, and no need to boil water.

Having water and sewer connected can also:

• help in the sale of a house
• improve the value of a house
• allow the property owner on a large block to sub-divide with council approval.

A scheme where all householders connect quickly will be more viable than a scheme where only a small part of the community connects. The community members should collectively decide whether they want the scheme or not. Half hearted schemes are often not a worthwhile investment.

Q: What will the funding actually pay for?

A: The funds will assist the water corporation to provide a water supply or sewerage scheme.

Q: If my town is included in the program, what are the costs a property owner might have to pay to connect to a sewerage scheme?

A: A property owner must pay:

• the cost of their connection to the scheme and any plumbing modifications that may be required in their house. This is usually between $2,500 and $5,000.
• a contribution to the capital costs of the scheme. This contribution is capped under the Country Towns Water Supply and Sewerage Scheme Program. Property owners can pay $800 upfront or $80 a year for 20 years. (Schemes usually cost about $12,000 per property.)

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The roles of local government, water corporation and State Government

Q: What are the roles of local government and water corporations?

A: The brief answer is - local government starts the process; the water corporation completes it.

Local government receives funding to employ a consultant to identify a preferred solution. This is done in consultation with the community and water corporation.

The water corporation then takes over designing, delivering and then managing the scheme.

Q: What roles do the EPA and DHS play?

A: The EPA has expertise in environmental health and DHS has expertise in public health.

Risks to public health and environmental health are the program's two key considerations, so the input of these Government departments is vital in assessing which towns should receive funding.

Q: At what stage do they get involved?

A: The Environment Protection Authority and Department of Human Services work with the councils and the Department of Sustainability and Environment. They compile information to develop a statewide priority list on existing public health and environmental issues.

Q: What is MAV's involvement?

A: MAV manages the administration of funds for the Department and provide technical support to local government to develop their domestic wastewater management plans.

(Domestic wastewater is the name of the contents of a septic tank - this includes blackwater from toilets and greywater from the bathroom, laundry and kitchen).

A domestic wastewater management plan details how wastewater and septic tanks will be managed in the municipality. The domestic wastewater management plan also assists in planning the future development of the town to prevent public health and environmental risks developing.

Councils are responsible for septic tanks and ensuring owners adequately maintain them.

Domestic wastewater management plans can prevent septic tanks causing threats to public health and the environment.

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Water services

Q: Why is this program needed?

A: Many small towns do not have access to good quality water and are identified as a critical risk to public health.

Investment under the program will upgrade these services or provide new services.

Q: What towns have been funded?

A: Towns with the most critical public health problems.

The towns are being selected by an independent review. This will have input from government agencies such as the Department of Human Services (which has responsibility for public health) and the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (which has responsibility for environment issues).

Q: What might the scheme cost me?

A: This will depend on the solution adopted for your property.

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