Onsite wastewater systems
Most (96%) residential properties across the Lower Hunter are connected to both Hunter Water’s water and wastewater networks.
However, there are approximately 2,500 residential lots across 23 townships in the Lower Hunter that are connected to the drinking water network, but do not presently have access to reticulated sewer services. Some of the larger townships are North Rothbury, Hexham, and Raworth. Properties within these townships receive wastewater services via onsite wastewater systems including septic tanks or pump-out systems, and do not pay a Hunter Water wastewater service charge.
Well maintained onsite wastewater systems can perform as well as Hunter Water’s reticulated wastewater network, without any detrimental environmental impact, at a lower total cost to property owners. Onsite wastewater systems in NSW are regulated by local Councils who undertake routine inspections to make sure systems are working properly. More information about onsite systems and the role of local councils is available on the NSW Office of Local Government’s website. Property owners concerned about the performance of an onsite system should contact their local council in the first instance.
Hunter Water has undertaken work with local councils across our region to understand the costs and benefits of potentially expanding the reticulated sewer network to unsewered suburbs. This work has been undertaken in a manner consistent with the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART)’s 2018 methodology for determining the funding and delivery of backlog sewer services.
As a regulated service provider, Hunter Water is obligated to apply IPART’s methodology. More information on the determination is available on the IPART website here.
Under IPART’s revised methodology, existing property owners are liable for most of the costs associated with building an extension to Hunter Water’s wastewater network to connect to their properties, as the principal beneficiary of new infrastructure. In many instances, this has been assessed as being more than $60,000-$100,000 per property. For new schemes to be delivered, this would require support and funding from multiple neighbouring private property owners to be viable.
Given the large costs of servicing, and the ability for well-maintained onsite systems to provide a high degree of treatment, the delivery of backlog sewer services is not considered to be viable at present.
Hunter Water continues to work with its partners on opportunities to expand sewer services. Hunter Water recently completed the $36 million Wyee Sewer Scheme in Lake Macquarie.