Septic tanks
A septic tank is a tank that takes sewage waste from a dwelling and
processes it. This is how wastewater is disposed of in the Hauraki Gulf islands.
A building consent
is required to install a tank or to make changes to your existing tank. Contact
us for more information.
Waiheke wastewater
Waiheke Island property owners are required, by Part
29 of the Auckland City Consolidated Bylaw 1998, to have their septic tanks
pumped out at least once every three years.
Auckland City Council, with the support of the Waiheke authorities and
community members, enforce the bylaw to protect the island's
environment and residents.
Enforcement is part of our ongoing campaign to work with the Waiheke
community on improving water quality and ensuring effective wastewater
management on the island.
Why tanks need to be pumped out
If septic tanks and foul-water disposal systems are not pumped on a
regular basis, solids can build up and cause ground-water discharges
or unpleasant odours. These can then become public health nuisance issues.
As well as having
good effects on the environment, proper maintenance
of septic tanks can improve their durability and longevity and lessen any
inconvenience caused by tank failures.
What you need to do:
If you have had your septic tank pumped out within the past three years:
Complete the property owner section of the
Wastewater management inspection form and submit it, with a
signature or receipt from the contractor, to:
Waiheke service centre
PO Box 254
Ostend
Waiheke Island
or deliver it to 10 Belgium Street, Ostend.
If your septic tank has not been pumped out within the past three years:
Please arrange for this to be carried out as soon as possible by a
licensed
contractor.
Once your tank is pumped out, complete the Wastewater
management inspection form and, within 14 days of the inspection, submit it,
with a signature from the contractor, to
Waiheke service centre
PO Box 254
Ostend
Waiheke Island
or deliver it to 10 Belgium Street, Ostend.
Note:
If you are not sure when the tank was last pumped-out, you can request
information from the two local contractors as to the
last time your property had its septic tank pumped.
If you are unable to prove when your tank was last pumped out, we will assume
that it has been more than three years since it was pumped and you will be asked
to have the service carried out.
Wastewater management inspection form
Wastewater management inspection form (104kb PDF)
Forms are also available from the Waiheke
service centre.
To view PDFs download Acrobat Reader
from the Adobe
website.
Further help on how to view PDFs.
Licensed contractors
The following businesses have a licence from the Auckland Regional Council to
dispose of offensive waste onto suitable sites.
| Waiheke Septic Tank Cleaning Services |
Ph: 372 7015 or 278 6563 |
| Green Acres Waiheke Ltd |
Ph: 372 7614 or 027 627 1442 |
Consequences of not complying with the bylaw
If you do not have your tank pumped, you need to be aware that
- we are able to enforce the bylaw and property owners will
eventually have to comply
- abatement notices can be issued under Section 322 [1] [a] of the Resource
Management Act
- prosecutions can also be made under The Health Act, Local Government Act, and
sections of the Auckland City Consolidated Bylaw 1998.
- as a last resort, we can pump your tank and add the
cost to your rates.
Costs
There is no fee for submitting the information to council.
The cost of having the tank pumped varies, so you will need to
contact the licensed contractor to confirm current
pricings.
To reduce the cost
You can reduce the cost of having your tank pumped by ensuring that the
pump-out contractor's time is spent pumping and not carrying out tasks that you
could manage yourself.
You can do this by
- cleaning away any debris and foliage from the opening of the tank
- fitting a riser if the tank lid is below ground level
- providing a watering hose for washing equipment.
Updated November 2007
