❓ A WA parliamentary question explores the Department of Health's standards for human waste disposal, comparing them internationally and questioning the restrictions on composting toilet systems, particularly in the context of urban infill and water conservation. The response clarifies the standards, refers some questions to other ministers, and expresses concerns about the effectiveness of composting toilets.
AnsweredQoN 2583Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(a) are the public health standard requirements of the Western Australian Department of Health, regarding the disposal of human waste from domestic properties, greater than those demanded in:
(i) the United States; and
(ii) Western Europe; and
(iii) if so, why;
(b) under what circumstances will the Western Australian Department of Health refuse to allow the use of such toilet systems for:
(i) commercial use;
(ii) recreational use; and
(iii) domestic household use;
(c) under what internationally recognised standards of appropriate scientific evaluation does the Western Australian Department of Health base any such refusal for:
(i) commercial use;
(ii) recreational use; and
(iii) domestic household use;
(d) does the average Western Australian household consume more water than any other household in any Australian State and Territory, and;
(i) if so, what is that average consumption; and
(ii) what is the average additional consumption compared to other states and territories;
(e) what is the amount of water used for a single flush with a:
(i) single flush toilet cistern; and
(ii) dual flush toilet cistern;
(f) is the Minister aware of the extreme demand for urban infill, through residential property development, in rural towns without reticulated sewerage systems;
(g) why is now not an appropriate time to allow the use of these systems as an interim measure until deep sewerage is made available to allow for:
(i) alternative and better provisioning for town planners; and
(ii) an alternative to landowners; and
(h) is the Minister aware of the massive cost savings to local government through such urban infill:
(i) if not, why not?
(i) the United States; and
(ii) Western Europe; and
(iii) if so, why;
(b) under what circumstances will the Western Australian Department of Health refuse to allow the use of such toilet systems for:
(i) commercial use;
(ii) recreational use; and
(iii) domestic household use;
(c) under what internationally recognised standards of appropriate scientific evaluation does the Western Australian Department of Health base any such refusal for:
(i) commercial use;
(ii) recreational use; and
(iii) domestic household use;
(d) does the average Western Australian household consume more water than any other household in any Australian State and Territory, and;
(i) if so, what is that average consumption; and
(ii) what is the average additional consumption compared to other states and territories;
(e) what is the amount of water used for a single flush with a:
(i) single flush toilet cistern; and
(ii) dual flush toilet cistern;
(f) is the Minister aware of the extreme demand for urban infill, through residential property development, in rural towns without reticulated sewerage systems;
(g) why is now not an appropriate time to allow the use of these systems as an interim measure until deep sewerage is made available to allow for:
(i) alternative and better provisioning for town planners; and
(ii) an alternative to landowners; and
(h) is the Minister aware of the massive cost savings to local government through such urban infill:
(i) if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
4 September 2007
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
21 days
(a) (i) - (iii) Public hHealth requirements for disposal of human waste from domestic properties in Western Australia (WA) are based on basic principles of public health relating to the need to separate human waste streams from water and food sources and to prevent human contact with such waste.
These basic public health principles of wastewater disposal in WA are consistent with international standards, including standards used in the United States and Western Europe.
(b) (i) - (iii) Use of composting toilets for commercial, recreational or domestic household use will be refused where:
§ Lot sizes are less than 1000m
2
(which is considered to be the minimum sized lot appropriate to allow adequate odour buffers from the composting toilet and to provide adequate area for in ground disposal of treated human waste).
§ Lots do not have site conditions that will allow composted human waste to be buried at a depth of 300mm at a distance of not less than 30m from a water body or bore intended to supply drinking water and where a minimum depth of 1.2m to groundwater level cannot be achieved.
§ Lots are serviced by reticulated sewer.
§ The composting toilet system is not of a type approved for use in WA by the Department of Health. All approved composting toilet systems must comply with the requirements of the Australian Standard AS 1546.2:2001 On-site domestic wastewater treatment units, Part 2: Waterless composting toilets.
§ Site conditions are not suitable for installation of a greywater treatment and disposal system (where installation of such a system is required).
(c) (i) - (iii) Refusal to install composting toilets for commercial, recreational and domestic use are based on sound international concepts that relate to minimum separation distances from water bodies, bores and groundwater in order to prevent contamination; and by controlling density of un-sewered development to a level where human waste loads can be dealt with by natural environmental and biological processes without causing contamination.
The WA Policy is guided by the Australian Standards for Composting toilets (AS 1546.2:2001), which is based on international technical standards. Most composting toilets approved for use in WA are also approved internationally.
(d) (i) - (ii) I request that this question be directed to the Minister for Water Resources.
(e) (i) A single flush toilet cistern uses 12 litres per flush.
(ii) A dual flush toilet cistern uses 6 litres for a full flush and 3 litres for a half flush.
(f) I request that this question be directed to the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure.
(g) (i) - (ii) It is not considered that composting toilets used in conjunction with greywater systems offer any better alternative to town planners or land owners than any other approved wastewater treatment and disposal system. Composting toilets do not reduce nutrients in toilet waste and reduce pathogens only marginally. If sited and/or used incorrectly, they are more likely to cause environmental and public health impacts, and have greater potential for groundwater contamination than the many alternative wastewater treatment and disposal systems with nutrient and biological attenuation that are currently approved for use in WA.
(h) (i) I request that this question be directed to the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure.
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These basic public health principles of wastewater disposal in WA are consistent with international standards, including standards used in the United States and Western Europe.
(b) (i) - (iii) Use of composting toilets for commercial, recreational or domestic household use will be refused where:
§ Lot sizes are less than 1000m
2
(which is considered to be the minimum sized lot appropriate to allow adequate odour buffers from the composting toilet and to provide adequate area for in ground disposal of treated human waste).
§ Lots do not have site conditions that will allow composted human waste to be buried at a depth of 300mm at a distance of not less than 30m from a water body or bore intended to supply drinking water and where a minimum depth of 1.2m to groundwater level cannot be achieved.
§ Lots are serviced by reticulated sewer.
§ The composting toilet system is not of a type approved for use in WA by the Department of Health. All approved composting toilet systems must comply with the requirements of the Australian Standard AS 1546.2:2001 On-site domestic wastewater treatment units, Part 2: Waterless composting toilets.
§ Site conditions are not suitable for installation of a greywater treatment and disposal system (where installation of such a system is required).
(c) (i) - (iii) Refusal to install composting toilets for commercial, recreational and domestic use are based on sound international concepts that relate to minimum separation distances from water bodies, bores and groundwater in order to prevent contamination; and by controlling density of un-sewered development to a level where human waste loads can be dealt with by natural environmental and biological processes without causing contamination.
The WA Policy is guided by the Australian Standards for Composting toilets (AS 1546.2:2001), which is based on international technical standards. Most composting toilets approved for use in WA are also approved internationally.
(d) (i) - (ii) I request that this question be directed to the Minister for Water Resources.
(e) (i) A single flush toilet cistern uses 12 litres per flush.
(ii) A dual flush toilet cistern uses 6 litres for a full flush and 3 litres for a half flush.
(f) I request that this question be directed to the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure.
(g) (i) - (ii) It is not considered that composting toilets used in conjunction with greywater systems offer any better alternative to town planners or land owners than any other approved wastewater treatment and disposal system. Composting toilets do not reduce nutrients in toilet waste and reduce pathogens only marginally. If sited and/or used incorrectly, they are more likely to cause environmental and public health impacts, and have greater potential for groundwater contamination than the many alternative wastewater treatment and disposal systems with nutrient and biological attenuation that are currently approved for use in WA.
(h) (i) I request that this question be directed to the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
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