The Onsite Wastewater Management Guidelines (the Guidelines) have been published to assist councils in NSW to manage and regulate onsite wastewater management systems (OWMS) in a systematic way that is cost-effective, consistent with regulatory standards and Government policies, and in accordance with current best practice. The Guidelines aim to reduce the risk to public health and the environment.

The Guidelines have been developed to assist councils, county councils, and Joint Organisations to comply with statutory requirements under the Local Government Act 1993 and Local Government (General) Regulation 2021 and replace the Environment & Health Protection Guidelines: Onsite Sewage Management for Single Households or ‘Silver Book’ (1998).

A copy of the Guidelines can be accessed here

Council officers are encouraged to establish communication networks with other councils and the wastewater industry to keep up to date with research and new technologies.

The Guidelines discuss:

• performance standards for OWMS
• systematic site and soil evaluation
• simplification of the approval of OWM by:
  • setting out a process for approving OWMS
  • providing detailed information to assist councils in their approval of OWMS
  • providing practical advice on the update of the council’s OWM strategy
  • technologies for onsite wastewater treatment and effluent management.

Click on the links below for more information about on-site sewage management.

• Council Circular 07-27 – Approval Of Water Recycling Projects And Private Water Supplies
• The Easy Septic Guide – PDF
• On-site sewage management – information for the community