PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTIONS OF HOUSEHOLD SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEMSWHY HAVE A PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION?A building and pest inspection of the property is often regarded as an essential part of buying a new home. Now this same type of service is available for rural residential and acreage homes with household sewage treatment systems. COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT TREATMENT SYSTEMS:How do I tell if the system is running properly?Unless there is an obvious problem such as alarm lights active, bad smell or overflowing tanks it is difficult to tell if a wastewater treatment system is running safely. What are some of the common makes or brands?There are more than twenty different makes of system that can be installed for houses in non-sewered areas in Queensland. The common types of treatment systems of interest are the aerated wastewater treatment systems such as Biocycle, Envirocycle, Aqua Nova, Ozzi Kleen, SuperTreat, Septech, Taylex and others, and aerated sand bed filters such as Envirotech and Ecosafe. We are familiar with all these types of systems and other non-traditional systems such as the Dowmus or Clivus Multrum composting toilet systems. How do I tell if the system complies with Local Council and Queensland Government Requirements? The design, operation and servicing requirements of household sewage treatment systems are set out in Australian/New Zealand Standard 1547:2000 ‘Onsite domestic wastewater management’. The homeowner can be fined for treatment systems that do not comply with local or state government requirements. The first step is to ensure the system has been approved by the local Shire Council. In addition, most Councils require treatment systems to be serviced by an approved service agent every three months to ensure the system is operating safely. Improperly treated wastewater can contain high levels of nutrients, bacteria and other micro-organisms harmful to human health and the environment. The service agent is required to provide the home owner with a copy of each report and a copy must also be sent to the local Shire Council. It is important that any necessary repairs (usually noted on the service report) are carried out promptly to ensure the system continues to operate safely and effectively. How do I tell if the system is in need of maintenance?Unfortunately you can’t tell what the condition of the treatment system is from the outside. Our service technician will carry out a thorough inspection and advise you of the condition of the system and any maintenance or repairs that are necessary. How do I operate a treatment system?After carrying out an inspection of the system we will provide you with free information on how to best use and operate the treatment system. What does an inspection of a household sewage treatment system include?We will check, inspect and report on:
The written report will also advise you of any additional work that is or may be required. An estimate for repair/rectification costs can be provided upon request. What about Septic Tank and Greywater Treatment Systems?Acreage homes more than 10-12 years old, or in a few more recent cases, may still have a separate septic tank system with dispersion trenches to treat water from the toilet. These homes will normally also have a separate tank for the greywater (kitchen, laundry, bath and shower). The greywater in these instances will usually be pumped out via a sprinkler, onto the garden or lawn. In some cases the greywater may instead go to trenches, either separate to, or combined with the black water. We can inspect any of these types of older systems to check the state of the septic and grey water tanks. In particular, it is important to check the sludge and scum levels in the septic tank. If a septic tank is not pumped out on a regular basis (typically every 3-5 years) carryover of solids to the trench system can occur. This clogs the trenches and results in the costly exercise of putting in new dispersion trenches. We will also check the grease trap, distribution lines, boxes and trench system. NOTE:A pre-purchase inspection will tell you about the current condition of the system and alert you to any existing problems the treatment system may have. This will provide you with information for discussion with the vendor. A pre-purchase inspection can not guarantee future performance, it is a statement of the system’s condition at the time of inspection. This is because future performance depends very much on how the system is used, for example, the number of people in the household, their pattern of water, cleaning and laundry product use, the type of system and its’ design capacity. HOW MUCH DOES A PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION COST?Standard $275 (including GST)Inspection to ASNZ Standard 1547/2000 as described in “What does an inspection of a household sewage treatment system include? Superior $418 (including GST)Standard service as above plus full Shire Council laboratory compliance check of treated discharge water for Thermotolerant Coliform Bacteria and Suspended Solids (clarity). This test is equivalent to the annual compliance inspection carried out by local Shire Councils. The Superior service provides the highest level of surety that the treatment system is operating properly and safely at the time of inspection. Septic Tank and Greywater Systems $225 (including GST)NOTE: A travelling charge may apply for remote or distant sites, please enquire before making a booking. The above fees apply for domestic residences within 30 minutes drive of Caboolture QLD 4510. Make a Booking or If you have any Questions?Please contact Robert 0407 151 447 or email info@cees.com.au PAYMENT TERMSPayment is due upon receipt of the written report. Reports are generally provided within 5 working days of the date of the inspection. Exceptions being where laboratory tests are requested (Superior Inspection) which may take longer and are beyond our control. INSURANCEWe are fully insured and licenced.
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