There are two types of wastewater - domestic and industrial. Wastewater is also commonly referred to as sewage. Wastewater contains approximately 99% of water and 1% of mostly biodegradable products such as detergents, food scraps and human waste. The average household generates between 200-250 litres of wastewater daily.
Domestic wastewater
Domestic wastewater is the used water from the toilet, drains, baths, showers, sinks and washing machines from homes and industry. Domestic wastewater does not include the rain that falls on the roof of your house and travels down the downpipe, or the water that runs into the gutters at the front of your house. This water enters the stormwater system and is discharged untreated into waterways or the sea. The stormwater system operates independently of Gippsland Water's wastewater system and is the responsibility of the local council.
Industrial wastewater
Industrial wastewater is any liquid waste generated by businesses, industries, or manufacturing processes and is often defined as 'trade waste'. Examples of trade waste are fats, oils, grease, pulp and paper waste and food manufacturing waste. Businesses like restaurants, fish and chip shops and service stations, are required to install grease/oil inceptor traps to store their trade waste. These traps capture the solid waste in order to prevent blockages in our wastewater systems and treatment plants. Some larger industries are required to partially treat their wastewater before Gippsland Water will accept it into the system for further treatment and eventual disposal.
Wastewater systems
Wastewater systems usually have three main components - property connections, collection and transfer systems and wastewater treatment plants. From the wastewater treatment plant the treated effluent is either released to the environment via waterways, irrigation to land, or sea.
Property connections are the pipes that carry wastewater from each house, shop or building to our reticulated wastewater mains.
The wastewater collection and transfer system is the network of underground pipes (sewers) and pumping stations that transport the wastewater to Gippsland Water's treatment facilities. Our wastewater pipes are made of either plastic, PVC or concrete. Pumping stations are occasionally needed to pump wastewater up hill through a rising main. From here gravity takes over again and the wastewater flows to our wastewater treatment plants.
Septic Tanks
The following towns are in Gippsland Water's service region and do not receive wastewater services and they rely on septic tanks for the treatment of their domestic wastewater. Septic tanks are not under the responsibility of Gippsland Water. Local councils oversee all issues relating to septic tanks, and stormwater drains.
- Boisdale
- Briagolong
- Coongulla
- Cowwarr
- Erica
- Glenmaggie
- Noojee
- Thorpdale
- Traralgon South
- Tyers
- Buln Buln
- Darnum
- Nilma
- Rokeby
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