Liquid Trade Waste
What is Liquid Trade Waste?
It is liquid waste to sewer that is not domestic sewerage, stormwater or unpolluted water.
Liquid trade waste is defined in Section 3 of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 as “all liquid waste other than sewage of a domestic nature.” Sewage of a domestic nature is as stated in the Local Government (General) Regulation, 2005 “human faecal matter and urine and waste water associated with ordinary kitchen, laundry and ablution activities of a household, but does not include waste in or from a sewage management facility.”
Why do I need approval to discharge liquid trade waste?
Sewerage systems are designed to safely collect, transfer and treat wastewater, which is mostly of domestic origin. These systems may also accept liquid trade waste provided that the discharges are planned, known and controlled within acceptable limits.
Without suitable controls, liquid trade waste may adversely impact the sewerage system, environment, and the health and safety of workers and the public.
To minimise any impact to the above, the NSW State Government require that businesses discharging liquid trade waste to sewer have an approval to do so from their local water utility ie Shoalhaven Water. In order to gain approval adequate methods of pre-treatment must be installed, to ensure the liquid trade waste is suitable for discharge to the sewer.
Section 68 of the Local Government Act 1993 requires that all trade waste dischargers to a Council sewerage system must have an approval from Council. This applies to both new and existing trade waste dischargers. A discharger who fails to obtain Council’s approval or fails to comply with the conditions of approval may be prosecuted under section 120 (1) of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997.
What is meant by pre-treatment?
Usually, some form of pre-treatment of your liquid trade waste will need to occur before it is discharged to sewer and depends of the type of activities carried out as part of your business. Pre-treatment equipment can be as simple as a sink screen for a hairdresser or florist, or more complex like an oil/water separator for a mechanical workshop or grease arrestor for a restaurant. Pre-treatment requirements are in accordance with the “Liquid Trade Waste Management Guidelines, 2005” and Council’s Trade Waste Policy. Pre-treatment equipment will be inspected and monitored by Shoalhaven Water as a condition of your approval.
Liquid trade waste fees and charges
As part of the NSW Government’s aim to improve the quality and efficiency of water and sewerage services in non-metropolitan NSW, the Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability (DEUS) has introduced Best Practice Pricing Guidelines.
These guidelines are mandatory for Shoalhaven City Council and involve the introduction of appropriate fees and charges for liquid trade waste dischargers. Accordingly, Council has recently advertised and adopted a Liquid Trade Waste Policy as approved by the Department.
Liquid trade waste discharged from businesses and other non-domestic sources (such as restaurants, cafes, mechanical workshops etc) generates a higher load to the sewerage system than normal households. In order to prevent a significant cross-subsidy from the general public to commerce and industry, appropriate fees and charges need to be levied for liquid trade waste discharges. It should be noted that liquid trade waste fees and charges are in addition to non-residential sewer usage charges.
The Local Government Act, 1993 specifies that the land owner is responsible for the payment of liquid trade waste fees and charges associated with their property. Any re-imbursement of the land owner, by a person/company (occupier) conducting the activity at the premises, for liquid trade waste fees and charges is a matter between these two parties.
How do I Gain Approval to Discharge Trade Waste to Sewer ?
1. Obtain an application form and if required a ‘Policy for Liquid Trade Waste Discharge to Sewer’ from Shoalhaven Water.
2. Fill out and return the application form, attaching any extra information required (eg. site plan, internal drainage diagram). If necessary ring the Trade Waste Officers for assistance.
3. Shoalhaven Water will assess your application. If required, a draft approval letter will be sent to the Department of Water and Energy (DWE) for concurrence.
4. Pay the application fee on advice from Council.
5. A letter of approval to discharge liquid trade waste to sewer is sent to the applicant.
Shoalhaven Water will assess your application and classify the business into one of three Discharger Categories
Category 1 Dischargers (Low Risk)
- Category 1A : Nil or only minimal liquid trade waste pre-treatment equipment required ( eg. hairdressers, florists, bed and breakfasts).
- Category 1B : Still low risk but require more sophisticated prescribed liquid trade waste pre-treatment equipment required ( eg. small scale vehicle washing, laundry activities).
Category 2 Dischargers (Medium Risk)
- • Require prescribed liquid trade waste pre-treatment equipment (eg. grease arrestor, oil / water separator).
- • Examples are food preparation activities that generate an oily greasy wastewater discharge (eg. a restaurant preparing or serving hot food, mechanical workshop servicing vehicles).
Category 2A : The prescribed liquid trade waste pre-treatment equipment has been installed and is cleaned and maintained in accordance with Council's requirements (eg. correct size and proper design of grease trap).
Category 2B : The prescribed liquid trade waste pre-treatment equipment:
- has not been installed or is not appropriate or
- has been installed but is not maintained or cleaned in accordance with Council's requirements.
Category 3 Dischargers (High Risk)
- Industrial and large volume (greater than 20 kL per day) type dischargers.
Fees and Charges
- Application Fee - covers costs in processing applications (currently waived for existing dischargers).
- Annual Liquid Trade Waste Fee - cost recovery for inspection and administration.
- Re-Inspection Fee - to cover the cost of any re-inspections where required.
- Usage Charges - to recover costs associated with treating sewerage in Sewerage Treatment Plants (does not apply for all categories)
- Council may also recover the cost of any monitoring and/or testing it undertakes as part of an inspection or re-inspection.
Examples using typical trade waste discharges
In the examples following
- Use of 2007 / 2008 fees and charges (will be indexed by CPI).
- Water consumption figures used will vary with individual businesses.
- Liquid trade waste discharge volumes usually determined by applying a liquid trade waste discharge factor (ratio of volume of liquid trade waste discharges to total metered water consumption).
Category 1A (eg. Hairdresser)
- Application Fee = $36.00
- Annual Liquid Trade Waste Fee = $42.00
- Re-inspection Fee (only if required) = $32.00
Generally the only on-going cost is an Annual Liquid Trade Waste Fee of $42.00
Category 1B (eg. Laundrette)
- Application Fee = $90.00
- Annual Liquid Trade Waste Fee = $100.00
- Re-inspection Fee (only if required) = $50.00
- Liquid Trade Waste Usage Charge (see following)
Assumptions
- Annual metered water consumption = 313 kL
- 92% (Discharge Factor) of the above is assessed as liquid trade waste discharged to sewer (i.e. 288 kL/year)
- Category 1B liquid trade waste usage charge = $0.67 / kilolitre
Case (i) for Category 1B
Laundrette has prescribed liquid trade waste pre-treatment equipment and this equipment is cleaned and maintained as per Council's requirements.
No liquid trade waste usage charge applies, thus generally the only on-going cost is an Annual Liquid Trade Waste Fee of $100
Case (ii) for Category 1B
Laundrette does not have the prescribed liquid trade waste pre-treatment equipment (eg. for example no lint screen is installed).
A liquid trade waste usage charge will apply and is calculated as follows
- Liquid Trade Waste Usage Charge = 288 kL x $0.67/kL = $193
- Annual Liquid Trade Waste Fee =$100
Generally on-going annual cost would be $293
Comparison of category 1B Discharger annual costs
- Case (i) - Category 1B (Complying) $100
- Case (ii) - Category 1B (Non-complying) $293
Category 2 (eg. Restaurant with hot food)
- Application Fee = $115.00
- Annual Liquid Trade Waste Fee = $124.00
- Re-inspection Fee (only if required) = $62.00
- Liquid Trade Waste Usage Charge (see following)
Assumptions
- Annual metered water consumption = 576 kL
- 50 % of the above is assessed as liquid trade waste discharged to sewer (i.e. 288 kL/year)
- Category 2A LTW usage charge = $0.67 / kL
- Category 2B LTW usage charge = $6.30 / kL
Category 2A
(i.e. has a properly sized and maintained grease trap).
- Usage Charge = 288 kL x $0.67/kL = $193
- Annual Liquid Trade Waste Fee = $124
Generally on-going annual cost would be $317
Category 2B
(i.e. does not have a properly sized or maintained grease trap).
- Usage Charge = 288 kL x $6.30/kL = $1,814
- Annual Liquid Trade Waste Fee = $124
Generally on-going annual charge would be $1,938
Comparison of category 2A and 2B Discharger annual costs
- Case (i) - Category 2A (Complying) $317
- Case (ii) - Category 2B (Non-complying) $1,938
Further information can be obtained from the Shoalhaven Water, Nowra or Ulladulla Offices or by contacting our Regulatory Officer, Jeff Lassman on 4429 3125 or our Assistant Regulatory Officer, Michele Astill 4429 3113.
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