The annual fees of $380 for owners of very high-risk systems and $76 for all other system owners, includes:

• Proactive inspection of system performance and potential public health or environmental risks
• Preparation of a written reports outlining findings and required actions
• Updating Council records to ensure accurate tracking of system condition, ownership and location
• Compliance management, including follow-up inspections where non-compliance is identified
• Replacement of missing or damaged signage or lids where required
• Tailored education for property owners

The draft strategy proposes a transparent and risk-based inspection program basing fees on the service level required. Any Council fees associated with approvals and inspections are designed to recover the cost of delivering the service and ensuring compliance with environmental and public health standards.

Council’s annual $89 on-site septic fee per system covered regulatory oversight broadly across the MidCoast, including compliance monitoring, database management, risk-based targeting and environmental protection activities. It did not represent a guaranteed inspection fee to all properties. This is the first time MidCoast Council has made a universal monitoring commitment.

The proposed $380 yearly fee for owners of very high-risk systems is meant to cover Council’s average cost of completing a full round of regulatory work across the local government area. It’s based on typical travel time, time spent on-site inspecting, writing up reports and updating records, plus the admin and follow-up work afterwards.

Council also used the 2024/25 Fees and Charges minimum inspection fee of $260 as the starting point, then added an extra hour for office/administration time ($120) per inspection.

The proposed inspection program aims to inspect every registered system over the next five years. It focuses on higher-risk systems, such as older installations or properties located near environmentally sensitive waterways. The aim is to identify potential issues early to avoid system failure, costly repairs and environmental harm.

Quarterly mandatory contractor servicing applies only to secondary (aerated) treatment systems, which represent a subset of systems within the MidCoast. It is a State Government requirement, not a Council initiative. Most systems are not subject to quarterly contractor inspections. Council receives these service reports and any necessary follow-up action is Council’s responsibility.

• Servicing by a contractor does not remove Council’s regulatory obligation under the Local Government Act 1993 and Local Government (General) Regulation 2021.

The proposed funding model will generate less revenue per year than the current flat-fee model. It does not raise additional revenue but redistributes how costs are allocated to property owners based on risk and service level required.

• More than 10,000 property owners will be financially better off under the proposed model.
• The model moves from a per-system charge to a per-property charge, meaning:
• Properties with multiple systems will pay once.
• Those property owners will be at least $100 per year better off, depending on the number of systems.
• Approximately 550 properties will pay a higher fee, but those higher risk properties will receive substantially more service in return.

The draft strategy does not automatically require upgrades of functioning systems. However, systems that are failing, causing pollution, or posing a public health risk may require corrective action in line with existing legislation. Council’s preference is always to work collaboratively with property owners to achieve compliance.