Living Here
Sewerage
Trade Waste discharges
Overflows
Application Forms
Gladstone Regional Council's sewerage system is designed to transfer sewage and waste-water from each home or business to the waste-water treatment plants via house drains, sewers and pumping stations. Council is responsible for the maintenance, collection and disposal of sewerage from properties across the Gladstone Region. The manner in which sewerage is dealt with is dependent on a properties location within the region.
Calliope declared sewer service area map Agnes Water sewerage scheme
Supreme Court Order - 1770 Low Pressure Sewerage System (28 September, 2022)
Water from Calliope River Sewage Treatment Plant (Gladstone area) is recycled. Recycling effluent is an effective way of reducing the impact of our waste on the natural environment, reducing demand on our water supply and providing a reliable water supply to industry (especially in times of drought).
Trade Waste discharges
Gladstone Regional Council offers the ability to discharge trade waste for licensed contractors at the Gladstone Waste Water Treatment Plant and Agnes Water Waste Water Treatment Plant. The cost for licensed trade waste contractor's is $25 per kl (not inc GST).
In order to become an approved licensed trade waste contractor please complete the credit application form and return to info@gladstone.qld.gov.au along with your permit number from DERM. Once this information has been received by Council the contract is able to discharge trade waste to the Waste Water Treatment plants.
Overflows
Council's sewerage system is not designed to carry runoff from rainfall and in times of heavy rainfall, the sewerage system can become affected by the inflow of stormwater which, in turn, can have the following effects:
- The capacity of the network becomes overloaded
- Sewage overflows can occur.
The majority of inflow of is caused by:
- Illegal rainwater connection into the sewer network
- Landscaping that diverts stormwater into manholes or overflow relief gullies (ORG).
Overflow relief gullies (ORG)
An ORG is an opening that acts as a relief point between the house drain and Council's system. The gully trap (ORG) prevents smells and overflows from entering buildings. All waste water from the laundry, kitchen, bath and shower travels through pipes into the ORG. A toilet is different as it connects separately to the main house pipe.
The ORG is located outside your house, generally in the area outside of your kitchen. The ORG should be above ground level to ensure stormwater does not enter.
Inflow through the ORG is normally un-intentional when stormwater cannot flow away due to landscaping or other obstructions blocking the flow-path of the stormwater. The stormwater builds up around the ORG and then, when high enough, enters the network.
Residents need to be aware that any discharge of storm water into the sewer network, whether it through the ORG or connection of storm water downpipes or drainage pipes, is illegal and can result in a Council fine.
What constitutes inflow/infiltration?
Inflow/infiltration is any external source of water, stormwater or groundwater that enters the sewerage system.
Why is it a problem?
Inflow/Infiltration increases the volume of water in the sewer systems which can result in the capacity of the network being exceeded. This causes the network to overflow, resulting in environmental harm and creating risks to human health.
To fix this problem through the construction of larger pipes, pump stations and treatment plants will cost Council many millions of dollars. This is not an acceptable outcome for the ratepayers.
What do I need to do?
Owners/occupants might not always be aware that rainwater from their property is entering the sewerage system.
Previous residents might have connected rainwater pipes illegally to the network. Owners/occupiers must investigate their drainage system by:
- Checking all downpipes discharge to the ground or to the street
- Inspect the area around the ORG to ensure that stormwater can flow away
- Verify during a rain event - if water dams up around the ORG, adjust the landscaping or remove the obstacle.
What next?
Gladstone Regional Council is committed to reducing the incidence of illegal and inadvertent inflows into the sewerage reticulation system. Council conducts inspection programs to identify illegal connections and the inadvertent channelling of water into the sewerage reticulation system.
Council will fine people who blatantly flaunt the law but offers an amnesty for those who seek to rectify the situation within a 30-day grace period. Remember that a decision to avoid warnings may result in penalties but it could directly affect your neighbour's lifestyle.
Application Forms
# | Name | Size |
---|
Get In Touch
Phone:
(07) 4970 0700
Opening Hours:
8.30am - 5pm Monday to Friday
Postal Address:
PO Box 29
Gladstone Qld 4680
Opening Hours
Chat Popup
Gladstone Regional Council would like to acknowledge the Bailai, Gurang, Gooreng Gooreng and Taribelang Bunda people who are the traditional custodians of this land. Gladstone Regional Council would also like to pay respect to Elders both past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Learn more about Council's Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
All content © Gladstone Regional Council. All Rights Reserved.
Back to the top