Waste Water and Effluent Management

On-site effluent disposal studies are a fundamental requirement for all development planning applications in unsewered areas, whether they be private dwellings, commercial premises or recreational facilities. Wastewater pre-treatment is also required for a significant number of trade waste effluents.

Discharge of sub-standard quality effluent from poorly designed septic tanks and home sewage treatment plants has become a significant environmental and health risk in many areas of Australia, ironically, usually those areas associated with otherwise healthy, non-urban ecosystems. While the amount of discharge from individual systems may seem inconsequential, the cumulative load from rural residential estates often causes serious eutrophication and bacterial pollution in ground water and downstream creeks.

Belleng VDM has the environmental engineering, soil science and water quality experience necessary to provide the following services, all in accordance with Australian Standard AS 1547:

• Soil permeability tests

• Collation of climatic data, including historical rainfall and evaporation records

• Water and nutrient balance assessments using 'Modelling for Effluent Disposal by Land Irrigation (MEDLI)' software

• Selection of the most appropriate treatment system based on capacity and loading, including if required, composting systems or tertiary treatment using UV/filtration

• Design of sustainable effluent disposal strategies, including surface and subsurface flow wetlands, irrigation systems and infiltration trenches

• Prediction and management of odour issues

• Report preparation, and where required, (facilities for 20 equivalent persons or more) preparation of license applications under the Environmental Protection Act 1998

Belleng VDM will ensure that the solution to your waste water problem not only meets regulatory requirements, but also results in the project being more cost efficient, aesthetically pleasing and ecologically sustainable.