What is there to know about your Sunshine Coast waste water treatment system? What are the rules and regulations when it comes granny flats or secondary dwellings? A very common question we are asked when choosing to build here on the Sunshine Coast. The primary reason being that a fair majority of properties are considered rural on the Sunshine Coast and therefore do not have access to town sewerage. It will be very important to consider the “whole” picture when deciding to build a granny flat – including power, car parking, landscaping, water tanks and septic storage/disposal. Let’s explore the rules and regulations surrounding a Sunshine Coast waste water treatment system for a new home build.
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What To Do With The Existing Waste Water Treatment System?
If you are currently building a granny flat or secondary dwelling here on the Sunshine Coast, in a rural or rural residential setting, you will also need to build a waste treatment system to collect the waste water. There are a few ways to approach this.
Firstly, if you have an existing system that works well and is under 15 years of age, you probably won’t want to replace this. For a few reasons, perhaps you may see this as a waste of money, or you want to minimise disruption to your main house as much as possible. If this is the case, here on the Sunshine Coast, you are permitted to install a secondary waste water treatment system. Although this isn’t the case for all council areas (such as the Noosa council). Please contact The Shed House team to learn more about the rules for where you are building.
Secondly, if the existing system is 20+ years old or isn’t working as efficiently as it could be, you may consider installing a new Sunshine Coast waste water treatment system to service both your existing house and new granny flat.
There are a few further items to consider which may affect your choice – such as the slope of the land. The most common way to install a Sunshine Coast waste water system will be downhill of your house or granny flat. It is fair to say that the best outcome for your particular scenario is based on a number of different factors, which differ drastically from site to site. It is during our design and consultation stages that we can provide you with the best Sunshine Coast waste water treatment advice. We will help you to decide on the best option and also organise the work for you as part of our turn key build service.
What Is The Process Of Installing A New Waste Water Treatment System?
All Sunshine Coast waste water treatment systems will require a plumbing permit (or approval) from council prior to installation. It is interesting to note that a permit will be required whether you are installing a completely new system or are altering an existing system. To apply for a permit, you will require the correct tests and reports to be completed by a professional to satisfy the Sunshine Coast council criteria. This will include (as a minimum):
- Soil test to determine the required design, suitability and capability of soil in the ability to absorb waste water (separate to the type of soil test required for your new home build).
- Articulation and/or plumbing design. This report will lay out the design of your new Sunshine Coast waste water treatment system.
These reports along with the type and specifications of your new Sunshine Coast waste water treatment system will be submitted to council in order to begin the plumbing approval process. Once the council approves the proposed system, the installation can begin!
If you would like to learn more about the process of installing or upgrading your Sunshine Coast waste water treatment system, contact the expert Sunshine Coast builders. Our team are ready and waiting to discuss your ideas.