Lilydale Sewerage Project
When we've finished, over 190 properties in the area will receive a connection point to the sewerage system, providing property owners with the option to flush and let us take care of their wastewater.
Building a new sewerage system is a complex job that takes time. You’ll see us in your neighbourhood for the next couple of years. During this time, we’ll do our best to minimise disruption to your daily lives.
This project will benefit the community by:
- Improving the health of local waterways.
- Protecting public health.
- Reducing sewer odours that are currently noticeable in the area.
- Providing a more liveable environment for locals and visitors to the area.
Lilydale Community Sewerage Program map
View Lilydale Community Sewerage map (PDF, 628KB)
What should you do right now?
You don't need to do anything right now, except keep maintaining your current onsite wastewater (septic) system. We'll be in touch with property owners directly as we progress.
Why does this area need a piped sewerage system?
Septic tanks work by gradually releasing wastewater so that it is absorbed by the soil and plants on your property. If they are old and beyond their service life, fail or aren’t maintained properly they can create unpleasant smells and boggy areas. They can leak waste onto other properties or the wastewater can flow into local drains and waterways. Sometimes properties are too small to contain the waste; or the land might be steep, so the waste runs off before it is absorbed.
Also, many properties have split systems where toilet water is treated by the septic tank and wastewater from the kitchen, shower and laundry flows into the stormwater system. This waste is not treated and flows into our creeks, rivers and bay, polluting our waterways.
What are the costs?
There is no cost to you for the construction of the sewerage system in Lilydale or for providing a connection point from your property. If you wish to connect, property owners will be responsible for the connection costs to the sewer. Visit our costs of connection page for more information.
Contact us
If you have any questions or feedback about this project, please contact the project manager, Nova Irawati, on 9872 1248 or email [email protected].
Project updates
March 2025
Sewer construction in Lilydale is progressing well, and we’re starting work on the final section along Edinburgh Road.
Our contractor, Interflow, is delivering the work. As well as installing the pipes in the streets they’re’ installing a connection point just inside the boundary of every property along the pipe route.
If you have any questions, please contact our team on 9872 2551 or [email protected]
May 2024
Construction is starting on the piped sewerage system for the southern area of Lilydale.
Our contractor, Interflow, is delivering the work. As well as installing the pipes in the streets they’ll install a connection point just inside the boundary of every property along the pipe route.
Most properties will be serviced using a pressure sewer. For more information or if you are interested in connecting, please visit our FAQs page or contact our team on 9872 2551 or [email protected].
June 2023
The design of the Lilydale Community Sewerage area is progressing well and we expect to start construction in 2024.
We ask residents in the program area to respond to correspondence sent this month:
Gravity sewer customers: need to let us know that they approve the proposed connection point location on their property.
Pressure sewer customers: need to book an appointment with Pressure Sewerage Services Australia (PSSA) to determine the location of the equipment on their property.
Not sure or have questions? Please contact our team on 9872 2551.
February 2022
What’s happening in your neighbourhood this year?
We'll be undertaking investigative work in Lilydale this year. It involves:
- Surveying and assessments – our surveyors and engineers will be walking around the area doing general surveying, reviews and assessments.
- Service locating – we’ll be using ‘non-destructive digging’ to find existing power, gas, telecommunications, water and sewerage services in the ground. This investigation work involves ‘digging’ into road reserves and pathways using a high pressure water to dislodge soil. Using this equipment minimises risk of damage to existing pipes and infrastructure, as well as tree roots and vegetation.
- Geotechnical sampling – small bore holes are drilled in different areas and soil and rock samples are analysed to help decide the best location for the sewerage pipes.
- Cultural heritage investigation – to assess the potential impact of any proposed activity on Aboriginal cultural heritage. This is part of a Cultural Heritage Management Plan required under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006.
- Ecological and tree surveying – to help determine the route of our pipelines, reduce the need to disturb vegetation and to protect the environment.
We'll use this information to refine our engineering plans for the sewerage system and prepare for construction in 2023.
How will the works affect local traffic?
The geotechnical surveys will involve some temporary road closures, speed reduction and detours in the area.
The investigations will be done progressively, and we’ve planned the works to minimise disruption for residents and visitors to the area.
Our contractors and traffic management will work closely with you to keep you moving.
What can I expect during these investigations?
You may notice:
- Extra vehicles in the area.
- Some noise from drilling equipment and machinery reversing and using beepers for safety.
- Some paint or chalk markings on the ground.
- Our staff and contractors walking around the area and looking into individual properties.
Your water supply and pressure will not be affected during the works.
April 2021
We’re continuing work on the design of a piped sewerage system for Lilydale, recently completing a site walk to progress the engineering of a sewerage system suited to the area.
We expect the new sewerage system to be available in early 2024.
We encourage you to continue maintaining your existing sewerage system, and we’ll provide further updates as we progress.
February 2020
Over the past 12 months we have reviewed the sewerage service needs of properties in unsewered parts of Lilydale and captured feedback from property owners.
The initial design, presented to the community at an information session in October 2017, provided sewer connections to properties that were unable to contain wastewater within their boundary. This was approximately half of the investigation area.
Following feedback from the community, we have revised our service delivery approach and will provide sewerage connections to all properties within the investigation area. The properties impacted by this decision are shown on the Lilydale Sewerage Project area map.
View Lilydale Sewerage Project area map (PDF, 1.05MB)
We will now need to undertake additional work which will delay the delivery of this project. We expect the new sewerage network will be available in 2023.
We encourage you to continue maintaining your existing sewerage system and apologise for any inconvenience.