The Auckland Unitary Plan sets rules for the whole region. Maintenance of on-site wastewater systems is covered under Rule E.5.4.1.3 of Section E5 of the Auckland Unitary Plan. It states (b) the secondary/ tertiary treatment plant and the land application disposal system is serviced six monthly by a suitably qualified on-site wastewater service provider.

The system supplier or equivalent qualified wastewater treatment system operator shall provide the purchaser with the option of a Maintenance Contract for regular 3 monthly maintenance of the system (6 monthly maintenance contracts may be appropriate in special cases where stable system performance is proven), at the time of installation and by the time the purchase is complete. (This is described further in Section 12.2.7.)

As a property owner, you must keep a copy of the inspection record and provide to council if asked. If your record has a council logo, it means your service provider has been trained to use the inspection checklist provided by Auckland Council. The record will automatically sent to council. This ensures a consistent standard for an inspection and your system is complied with the requirements.

An online inspection platform was created to streamline process to manage any failed systems. This inspection checklist will ensure all systems have consistent inspection standards. A standardised checklist identified any signs and failures of the systems hence this information helps prioritise fixes that require immediate actions to lower public health risk and improve water quality. Auckland Council needs to easily assess the number, location, and condition of onsite wastewater systems to successfully monitor and improve water quality in these areas.

When a wastewater nuisance is reported to the council the problem is investigated and where appropriate a notice is served on the owners requiring them to fix their system. The timeframe in which the problem must be fixed varies depending on the type of problem, what action is required to rectify the situation, requirements for consents and the potential effect on the environment/ public health if the problem is not fixed.

Your system maintenance frequency depends on your resource consents conditions. Your resource consent allows you to discharge treated wastewater onto or into land as long as you meet the conditions of that consent. It is a legal document granted under the provisions of the Resource Management Act (1991), so it’s important to keep a copy of the resource consent and any associated letters or other documentation in your records.

For sensitive receiving environments where a discharge consent is required, the consent conditions may require that the manufacturer undertakes quarterly or more frequent effluent quality assessments on an on going basis or at least during the first few years of operation (e.g. for the performance guarantee period). The results of which should be provided to the purchaser and Regional Council in the case of a discharge consent. These results will aid the purchaser and authority in checking that the system is achieving its design specifications, and aid the manufacturer/supplier to assess the actual loading against the rated duty, and to fine tune the plant operation accordingly.