Waste Water

Reticulated Sewer Schemes
Please call Ben Lomond Water on 13MYWATER (13 6992) for all water and sewerage faults, emergencies and enquiries.  Postal address PO Box 745, Launceston Tas 7250 or go to their website www.benlomondwater.com.au  The townships of Campbell Town, Conara, Cressy, Evandale, Kalangadoo, Longford, Nile, Perth, Ross and the Western Junction Translink area is provided with reticulated sewerage including treatment plants, pumping stations, and reticulated mains to maintain the service at an acceptable environmental standard. 

Council also has sewer re-use (via irrigation) systems at Campbell Town, Cressy, Evandale and Perth.

On-Site Disposal Systems (Septic Tanks)
When building on unsewered land you will need to consider how you will treat your wastewater. An application for a "special plumbing Permit" will be required.

While your septic tank will look after itself, to some extent, you will need to follow a few Rules to protect your investment and your familys health.

Getting Started
1. Fill your tank with water immediately it is installed. If it rains before it fills, your tank will float.
2. Flush 1 or 2 cups of garden lime down the toilet once a week for two months.
3. Work out how you can minimise your water usage. The lower amount of water you use, the less you have to treat.

Keeping it working
4. Keep household detergents and disinfectants to a minimum. Use concentrates that have a low salt content and use sparingly.
5. Pump out your septic tank every 3-5 years. Sludge build up means that your tank works less effectively.
6. Spray irrigation pump pits and grease traps also need to be cleaned out regularly. We recommend that this should be done every month. Otherwise you reduce the life of your trench as fats and other solids pass through to the trench.
7. Use plants to help absorb your wastewater. Plant your plants beside the trenches not over them.
8. Make sure that your trenches are protected from vehicles such as cars and tractors. Vehicles compact the soil and can break the plastic arch, which is just below the surface.
9. Protect your trenches from animals such as cattle and horses. Large animals cause the ground to be "pugged up" and they can also break the plastic arch and get injured.

In the long term
10. Over time your trenches may become clogged. This will mean that you will need to put in a new trench.
Fortunately, once you do this, your original trench will get a rest and through natural soil processes begin to unclog. In time you can use this trench again.
You will need to make sure that you have sufficient ground available for this future need.

Application Form for Special Plumbing Permit for an on-site waste water management system Special Plumbing (127 kb)


A CD and booklet toolkit titled "To flush isn't the end of the line" has been developed in consultation with the Local Government Association of Tasmania, Dept of Health and Human Services and the Environment division of Depart of Tourism, Arts and the Environment to assist councils in informing property owners of their duty to maintain their on-site waste water management systems.  For your free copy please email council@northmidlands.tas.gov.au