FAQs

A Community Wastewater Management System (CWMS) is designed to collect, treat, re-use and/or dispose of primary treated effluent from septic tanks on individual properties. The collection system comprises of  a network of pipes and pumping stations which transport the effluent from the septic tanks to the treatment site.

The Adelaide Hills Council owns two treatment sites located in Birdwood and Kersbrook. 

The  Kersbrook site services a relatively small number of properties and operates primarily as an oxidation lagoon system where effluent is stored and treated by aerobic action. 

The Birdwood treatment site accepts a greater amount of effluent from both the Birdwood and Mt Torrens townships and requires the addition of mechanical aeration is to speed up the treatment process. All other effluent received by CWMS is treated at SA Water owned sites located at Bird in Hand and Heathfield.

 All the effluent collected at Kersbrook and Birdwood is treated to an acceptable standard and reused via approved recycled wastewater irrigation to local community ovals and vineyard for frost prevention.

The following townships/suburbs are serviced by Community Wastewater Management Systems:

• Birdwood
• Charleston
• Kersbrook
• Mount Torrens
• Stirling (Golf Links Rd area only - see map below)
• Verdun
• Woodside

Asset management planning is an important process to ensure infrastructure is provided in a financially sustainable manner.

Modelling shows that Asset Management Plans reduce risk and cost. Planned works are more affordable and have lower risks than simply re-acting to what are often foreseeable issues.

The draft Asset Management Plan details information about infrastructure assets including actions required to provide an agreed level of service in the most cost-effective manner while outlining associated risks.

The draft plan defines the services to be provided, how the services are provided and what funds are required to provide the services generally over a 10-year planning period.

This draft plan covers the infrastructure assets that provide services for the management of wastewater via Community Wastewater Management Systems.

Quality - How good is the service … what is the condition or quality of the service?

Function - Is it suitable for its intended purpose …. Is it the right service?

Capacity/Use - Is the service over or under used … do we need more or less of these assets?

Sustainability - Coordinating existing strategies and using sustainable materials for the optimum approach,  whilst minimising the impact on the environment

‘Assets’ refers to infrastructure that is managed by the Adelaide Hills Council. The asset categories that are part of this consultation are: those associated with the Community Wastewater Management Schemes (CWMS) at Stirling, Verdun, Woodside, Charleston, Kersbrook, Mount Torrens and Birdwood. The CWMS include assets such as gravity drains, rising mains, effluent pump stations, connections, lagoons, pipework and valve infrastructure, recycled water storage tanks and irrigation pump shed, Sequencing Batch Reactor, filtration and disinfection plant, pump station for recycled water and recycled water infrastructure.

Asset management requires the understanding of the services that are provided by assets. Council will continue to provide the level of service that minimises disruption of services and meets our technical and regulatory obligations. 

The allocation in the planned budget is sufficient to continue providing existing services at current levels for the 10 year planning period. 

The main service consequences of the Planned Budget are: No increase in existing service levels to be provided  

The Woodside, Charleston, Verdun and Stirling (Golf Links Rd area only) effluent is transferred to SA Water’s network where SA Water provides the wastewater treatment and disposal path under a bulk discharge agreement with Council.  

SA Water treats Councils wastewater at the Bird in Hand, Hahndorf or Heathfield Wastewater Treatment Plant  Wastewater from Councils Birdwood, Mt Torrens and Kersbrook CWMS is treated at the Council owned wastewater treatment facilities at Birdwood and Kersbrook, which also provide recycled water supply to third party users as the primary disposal path for treated water.

All of Council’s CWMS are septic tank schemes with septic tanks installed at each premises prior to the CWMS connection point, the septic tanks provide primary treatment and containment of solid matter prior to effluent discharge into the network. The septic tanks are installed and maintained by the private property owner.   Commercial premises generating trade waste may also require further pre-treatment devices to ensure the protection of infrastructure, public and environmental health and the wastewater treatment process.

Asset Groups covered in this plan include:

Total Replacement Cost - $21,046,000

Take a look at the draft Asset Management Plan here.

Call our team on 8400 0400 or email engage@ahc.sa.gov.au 

Feedback can be provided by:

Taking part in the online feedback tools on this website

Email us: engage@ahc.sa.gov.au

Call us: 8400 0400

Send us a letter: PO Box 44, Woodside, SA 5152 

Following the public consultation period, staff will review the community feedback and prepare a report to Council on the outcomes of the consultation and include the final draft Asset Management Plan to be endorsed.

We will provide anyone who has provided feedback and who has provided an email address with the outcome of the consultation and the final Plan.