TITLE: TRADE WASTE DISCHARGE APPLICATION PROCEDURE
REFERENCE NUMBER:
RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT:
Health & Public Safety
APPLICABLE LEGISLATION:
SA Public Health Act 2011
Water Industry Act 2012
Local Government Act 1999
STRATEGIC PLAN:
Strategic Imperatives: Urban Growth
Shared Aspirations: Human Settlements
RELATED POLICIES / CORPORATE
GUIDELINE:
Trade Waste Discharge Policy
APPROVED:
<<Insert Date>>
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
<Insert Date>>
1.
PURPOSE
This procedure outlines the lodgement and processing requirements for
applications for:
 wastewater works approvals for trade waste wastewater systems
under the South Australian Public Health (Wastewater) Regulations
2013; and
 section 56 authorisations to discharge trade waste into the Council’s
CWMS under the Water Industry Act 2012
2.
PROCEDURE
2.1
Approval Required to Discharge Trade Waste
Council’s approval is required to discharge trade waste from an onsite
wastewater system into the Council’s CWMS. In accordance with the
Council’s Trade Waste Discharge Policy, persons who operate a trade
waste wastewater system must have:

wastewater works approval under the Regulations; and

a section 56 authorisation under the Water Industry Act 2012.
Application for a wastewater works approval and/or a section 56
authorisation must be lodged with Council. The following circumstances
may trigger the need for an application:
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1.
2.
an application for development approval to build new premises or for
extensions to commercial and/or industrial use; or
where there is a change in use of land (including a change in
business activities on the land) that will impact upon the type of
waste to be discharged from the land.
The relevant application forms are available from the Council XXX address
or at Council’s website www.XXX. In some circumstances, Development
Approval may also need to be obtained from Council in relation to trade
waste activities on land, and in this case, a separate development
application must be lodged.
2.2
Documentation – Application for Wastewater Works Approval
To ensure the efficient and prompt assessment of an application for
wastewater works approval, the following information must be provided in
conjunction with payment of the relevant application fee:
1. a completed application form signed by both the owner of the land and
applicant
2. A site plan (1:200) showing the location of proposed and/or existing
wastewater and trade waste infrastructure
3. A floor plan (1:100) detailing plumbing and any pre-treatment facilities
4. For certain industry types, wastewater analysis results or chemical
documentation (Material Safety Data Sheets) may also be required
5. Any other information or documentation as deemed necessary by
council
2.3
Application Fee
The application fee for a wastewater works application (trade waste) consists
of an application fee as prescribed by Schedule 1 of the SA Public Health
(Wastewater) Regulations 2013 (the Regulations). It is necessary for the
Council to conduct inspections of the property in respect of which an
application relates. The fee payable for an inspection is also prescribed by
the Regulations.
In the case of applications received for an existing wastewater system or for
an alteration to a pre-treatment device, one inspection is required in
connection with the application.
In the case of applications received for a new wastewater system two
inspections are required in connection with the application.
2.4
Assessment of Application for (trade waste) Wastewater Works
Approval
Applications will be assessed in accordance with standard Council allocated
timeframes, subject to all relevant information and fees being provided at the
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time of lodgement. Council may request additional information to be provided
(e.g. amended plans, engineering details, supporting documentation etc).
Wastewater Works approvals are issued in accordance with the
Regulations. The approval remains in force until the relevant system is
decommissioned. The approval operates to authorise the installation of a
(trade waste) on-site wastewater system, subject to the conditions that the
Council considers appropriate to impose under regulation 25 of the
Regulations.
A condition that attaches to wastewater works approvals is that trade waste
must not be discharged from the system unless authorised by the Council
under section 56 of the Water Industry Act 2012. This means that
wastewater systems that generate and discharge trade waste into the
Council’s CWMS require a separate authorisation in addition to a
wastewater works approval.
2.5
Water Industry Act s.56 Authorisation to discharge trade waste
An application for a section 56 Authorisation to Discharge Trade Waste
must be submitted where a wastewater works approval has been granted in
respect of a trade waste wastewater system.
An authorisation to discharge trade waste is subject to any reasonable
conditions that the Council sees fit to impose. The authorisation may be
granted for a specified period and/or continue in operation until a specified
event occurs (i.e. a change in tenancy), which may trigger the need for a
new application for a section 56 authorisation.
A condition that attaches to section 56 authorisations is that the operator of a
trade waste wastewater system must notify the Council of any change in use
of the land on which the system is located (including a change in any
business activities on the land). This is because such change may impact
upon the nature of the waste discharged from the wastewater system.
Accordingly, notification of the change is necessary to avoid any
unauthorised discharge of waste into the Council’s CWMS, which is an
offence under the Water Industry Act 2012 that may be enforced by the
Council.
TThe Council will conduct inspections to assess the operation and
maintenance of the trade waste wastewater system, and compliance with any
conditions. Inspections will also be conducted to facilitate a renewal of a
section 56 authorisation (if applicable).
2.6
Changes to Wastewater Works Approvals issued prior to July 2014.
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Prior to 1 July 2014, a section 56 authorisation was not required by the
Council in respect of trade waste discharges. Accordingly, Wastewater
works approvals for trade waste wastewater systems that were issued prior
to July 2014, operate to authorise the discharge of trade waste into the
Council’s CWMS system..
In order to give effect to the Council’s Trade Waste Discharge Policy and to
ensure the appropriate and consistent management of trade waste
discharges into the Council’s CWMS in the interests of public health, a
condition will be imposed on all trade waste wastewater works approvals
issued prior to July 2014 by written notice to the operator of the relevant
trade waste wastewater system. The new condition:

will require that trade waste may only be discharged from the system
where authorisation has been granted by the Council for this purpose,
following application by the operator, under section 56 of the Water
Industry Act 2012; and

will be imposed pursuant to section 25(7) of the Act, and will not take
effect until 6 months from the date of the notice to the operator of the
wastewater system that notifies of its imposition.
The effect of the new condition is that operators of existing (trade waste)
wastewater systems (i.e. that were approved prior to date) will be required
to apply for a section 56 authorisation. No fee is payable for an application
for a section 56 authorisation that is made following the imposition of a new
condition upon an existing wastewater works approval.
3.
REVIEW
This Standard Operating Procedure will be reviewed every four (4) years or
earlier in the event of changes to legislation or related Policies and
Procedures or if deemed necessary by the Health & Public Safety
Department.
4.
ACCESS TO THE PROCEDURE
The Standard Operating Procedure is available to staff via the Policies &
Operating Guidelines section of the Intranet.
5.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information on this Standard Operating Procedure, please
contact:
Title:
The Manager,
Phone:
XXX
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