Environmental Science Consultancy
Addressing the needs of our clients through all stages of the project cycle by providing high quality environmental solutions and advice on the most cost effective methods of mimimising the environmental impact of your development, regardless of its size.
Our Services at a glance:
On-Site Sewage Management Reports
If you are proposing to build on land that cannot be connected to council’s sewerage system, you will be required to install an on-site sewage management system (OSSMS). This is most likely to be the case if you are building on a rural site.
OSSMS include septics, aerated wastewater treatment systems, composting toilets, reedbeds, sand filters, biological filters, membrane reactors, and greywater systems. These systems treat wastewater from the premises before applying the effluent to the land. Effluent land applications include absorption/evaporation beds or subsurface irrigation.
In NSW, OSSMS must be designed, operated and maintainded, to prevent public health risk and environmental damage.
An OSSMS Report, is required to show the OSSMS design will comply with that council’s Onsite Sewage and Wastewater Management Strategy.
Pre-Purchase Septic Inspections
It is a requirement for all properties with an On-Site Sewage Managment System (OSSMS) under the Section 68 of The Local Government Act (1993), to have an Approval to Operate (ATO) Certificate.
The vendor (owner selling a property) must have a current ATO certificate for the OSSMS on their property. If the certificate has expired, they will need to complete Council’s ATO Renewal form and have a qualified NSW licensed plumber, drainer or wastewater consultant complete the inspection checklists within the form.
If you are considering purchasing a property with an OSSMS, it is recommencded that you request or arrange for an OSSMS inspection report. Doing this could potientially avoid any significant unexpected costs, after purchasing the property, if the operation of the OSSMS is defective.
The purchaser of the property will be required to provide a copy of an OSSMS inspection report to Council when they submit their ATO Renewal form (Section 68) application, which must be completed within two months of the purchase of the property.
Environmental Management Plans
An environmental management plan is a crucial tool that organisations use to effectively manage and reduce the potential environmental impacts of their projects. This comprehensive strategy includes actions, risk assessment, goals, stakeholders' roles, monitoring, and evaluation.
By implementing this plan, organisations show their commitment to sustainability and following regulations, as well as actively working to minimise any negative effects on the ecosystems they operate in.
LUCRA Reports
Land Use Conflict Risk Assessment (LUCRA) is a tool used by land managers and consent authories, to assess any identified potential effects and possible conflict, of a proposed land use on neighbouring land uses.
Land use conflicts occur when one land user is perceived to infringe upon the rights, values or amenity of another. For example, there can often be common land use conflict in rural areas between agricultural and residential land use. Land use conflicts can also occur between different agricultural enterprises and other primary industries including mining, forestry, aquaculture and fishing enterprises.
If future land use conflict is forseen, the report will then evaluate the type and level of management strategies required to minimise it’s effects.