The Port Macquarie Hastings area is large and has a varied topography, from gently sloping regions to steep mountainous ranges.
What you might not think about is the impact this can have on how our wastewater networks are designed. Lucky for you our clever wastewater engineers have!
To provide sewerage services to as many areas as possible we operate different types of sewer systems. We make this choice depending on the geographic location of the community, the number of residents the system is servicing and the potential impact on the environment from household septic systems.
Gravity Sewer System
These systems are considered the “standard” method of collecting and transporting sewage from homes and businesses. They primarily use gravity to transport sewage down gently sloping hills along the collection network and towards Wastewater Treatment Plants. Pumping stations operate at low points in the system to push the wastewater over small hills before gravity again takes over, moving the sewage along. Gravity sewer systems are useful in areas with gradual slopes, a low water table and where flooding is rare. In flat or particularly steep or hilly locations it is difficult and costly to bury sewer pipes to maintain an appropriate gradual slope. In these instances, other sewer systems may be more practical.
Pressure Sewer Systems
These systems are an economical and environmentally friendly way to collect and transport wastewater in areas that may not otherwise be able to have a “standard” sewerage system. They are useful in areas that are either very flat, very hilly, in areas that have high water tables or regularly flood, and in areas which are a large distance from main Treatment Plants. Just like gravity networks, these are systems of pipes which connect pumping units located on each property boundary to a smaller local Wastewater Treatment Plant. In these systems the wastewater from your home collects in a small tank on your property. Once this tank reaches a set level, a pump activates, to send the sewage along the pipes in the network to the local Wastewater Treatment Plant. It’s like having your own mini pump station!
Did you know?
If your home is eligible to connect to a pressure sewer network, it can have a lot of benefits for you and the environment. Some residents use onsite septic which require ongoing maintenance to keep them safe. If they are not well maintained or are old and not working properly, harmful bacteria, unpleasant odours and even chemicals can escape the system.
This can contaminate the soil around your home as well as groundwater which can flow into our creeks and rivers. Connecting to our network solves this problem and minimises the maintenance required by the property owner. Doing this helps keep your home, property, surrounding environment and our waterways clean and safe for everyone.
Are you in a pressure sewer area?
Council provides pressure sewer to some homes within the areas of Long Flat, Herons Creek, Beechwood, North Shore, Telegraph Point and Comboyne. If you have been contacted about connecting your property to pressure sewer, and need further information about connecting, please visit our website or contact Council on 6581 8111.
