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Maintaining your septic system – Your legal obligations

It’s very important to ensure that your septic system is maintained in good working order.  Not only is maintaining a septic system in good working order a legal requirement under environment protection legislation, a poorly maintained septic system can: 

  • Harm the environment via contamination of land and local waterways
  • Pose a health risk to you and your family
  • Result in expensive repair bills and reduce the lifespan of your system 

Remember – your septic system is just one of many in your neighbourhood.  Each poorly maintained septic system adds to the total impact on the local environment; chemical and microbial contamination of soil, groundwater and local streams.  Monitoring the health of water courses in unsewered areas is an activity we undertake in accordance with the aims of our Domestic Wastewater Management Plan. 

Environment protection legislation & your septic system

Septic systems are regulated under the Environment Protection Act 2017 and Environment Protection Regulations 2021.  As an occupier/owner of land that uses a septic system to dispose of wastewater, you must do a number of things, including:

  • Ensure that your system is maintained in good working order.
  • Ensure that your system is operated in a way that it does not pose a risk to human health or the environment. 
  • As of 1 July 2022, notify council of any issues with your system and the steps you are taking to fix the problem.
  • If you rent out your property, provide written information to the renter regarding the correct operation and maintenance of the system.
  • Keep and hold maintenance records.

 Visit EPA Victoria’s website for information on how to manage your septic system or watch our video on how to maintain your septic system.

Maintenance records 

The Environment Protection Regulations 2021 require owners of septic systems to keep and hold all records of maintenance activities carried out on the system including pump outs and services for a period of 5 years.  Failure to do this can lead to a fine. 
 
We can assist you to maintain your service records - each time you get your system serviced or your tank pumped out, simply send us a copy of the service report/proof of pump out:

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