Love your septic tank, love your environment, love your island

Aotea’s off-grid and remote status makes it a special place, but it does mean that all homes and businesses must manage their own wastewater. Leaky and poorly maintained septic systems leach germ laden wastewater into the environment, seeping into streams, coastal creeks, estuaries, and beaches.

Human activity – both on land and at sea – has taken a huge toll on the health and mauri of the Hauraki Gulf, leaving its habitats and biodiversity in a state of dramatic decline. There are complex challenges in addressing this. However, one necessary step is to ensure no onsite wastewater systems are contaminating waterways and the Gulf.

Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters is running a campaign on Aotea asking property owners to love their septic tanks, love their environment, love their island.

Council is offering a financial incentive to get wastewater systems checked and making it clear people with failing wastewater systems will be given time to repair them if needed. 

Property owners have already been sent a letter from Auckland Council about the rules for maintaining their onsite wastewater systems. These are that they are checked regularly, and that problems are fixed.

Now Council is offering a one-off financial incentive to get this done, available to 30 June 2025. The property owner will pay only $80 for a primary system (e.g. a basic septic tank) or $130 for an advanced system (e.g. a system with extra aeration and filter treatment) to the service provider. Council will cover the rest of the cost.

The incentive does not include any necessary repairs or pump-outs. These will be invoiced by the service provider to the customer as per normal processes. The incentive is being funded from the water quality targeted rate.

Previous investigations of water quality on Aotea found faecal contamination from several sources, including livestock, dogs, birds, and humans. Safeswim monitoring showed those areas with recorded water quality issues were the Awana Stream, Medlands Stream and Garden Road Stream. They had recorded periods of poor water quality even in dry weather conditions, which indicates chronic sources of faecal contamination. A significant step towards reducing contamination and ensuring our beaches don’t show as red flagged on the Safeswim website, is to take responsibility for our wastewater. Not only does this protect the environment, but it protects your investment too.

To find out more go to safeseptic@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

When your septic tank report is completed send it to: proactivecompliance@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz 

Or post it to Proactive Compliance, 135 Albert Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010