STATEMENT ON THE ROYAL COMMISSION SUBMISSION (MAY, 2020)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ON-SITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROVIDERS TELL ROYAL COMMISSION CURRENT STANDARD IS CRAP
MR3768 May 02, 2020
The National On-site Providers Association (NOPA) has called on federal leaders to adopt a more resilient approach to wastewater regulations in this country as national disasters, from fires to viral outbreaks, become the norm.
The organization, which speaks for providers of new on-site wastewater technologies known as passive systems, presented the argument in a written submission to the Royal Commission into last summer’s horrendous bushfires.
NOPA has identified a problem with the standard AS1546.3:2017 (On-site Domestic Wastewater Treatment Units – Secondary Treatment Systems), which is being rolled into various regulations around the country.
NOPA argued in the submission that, “this standard is not operationally fit or functionally appropriate in its current form in that it fails to factor in the highest possible resilient wastewater benchmarks that are available.
In a major bushfire or other natural disaster event the standard does not allow for technologies and innovations that can greatly improve the resilience of Australian buildings, both domestic and commercial.”
NOPA President Chris Taylor said that governments at all levels need to be aware that in the current climate, sustainable and functional wastewater systems have huge importance.
“In a bushfire or other natural disaster context, basic services like domestic or on-site sewage systems are often the first to go.
That poses a significant environmental and public health risk and undermines a community’s ability to bounce back.”
The submission to the Royal Commission points out that passive systems are proven to display higher levels of resilience in such circumstances.
“Our politicians and decision makers need to wake up to how important this standard is and to how far it falls short in building a resilient future.
In the interests of resilience and sustainability, the current standard needs to be amended to ensure passive solutions are part of the landscape.
There’s more crap in this standard than even our members can stomach.”
For further information contact:
James Rose: 0427 419 415
Full submission here