AWTS Servicing FAQ — Central Coast

Yes. Under your Central Coast Council on-site sewage management approval, an AWTS must be serviced every three months by an accredited technician, with a report lodged with council each time. This is a condition of your approval to operate the system, not an optional maintenance schedule.

A standard quarterly service typically costs $150-$250 per visit, which usually works out to $600-$1,000 a year across four visits. Some technicians offer a discounted annual contract rate if you book all four services upfront.

Missing a service puts you out of compliance with your council approval, and repeated missed services can lead to council follow-up or, in persistent cases, a review of your approval to operate. It also means small problems - a failing aerator, a clogged irrigation line - go unnoticed until they become expensive fixes or system failures.

Replacing a failing pump, aerator or blower - usually caught during a routine service before it causes bigger problems - typically costs $1,000-$2,500 depending on the part and your system's brand.

Most AWTS units last 15-20 years with regular servicing before major components degrade beyond economical repair. A full system replacement, including tank and irrigation field work, typically costs $15,000-$25,000.

Yes, a proper quarterly service includes checking the irrigation area for pooling, odour, or dieback in the surrounding vegetation, since a healthy irrigation field is part of what keeps the system compliant. If you're noticing wet patches or smell issues over the field between services, don't wait for the next scheduled visit - call your technician.