What other charges appear on your rates notice?

Any residential property connected to the council sewer main will pay an annual connection charge per tenement (e.g. each separately occupied house, flat, unit etc.).

Any non-residential property connected to the council sewer main will pay an annual connection charge. This connected charge is based on the size of the largest water meter connected to the property. The larger the water meter, the higher the charge due to the property’s increased potential to impact our sewer system during peak demand periods.

Any vacant land within 75 metres of the council sewer main and physically able to connect to Council’s sewer main will be levied an annual availability charge.

The management of all OSM systems is council’s responsibility. Properties with an OSM system (e.g. Septic tank, Aerated Wastewater Treatment System, Composting Toilet etc.) will pay an annual charge.

The OSM charges cover:

• Council’s inspection program for all on-site wastewater systems within the Clarence Valley Council LGA in accordance with all regulations, Standards and guidelines.
• Administration of the program, including processing applications, approvals, compliance and servicing reports and developing and maintaining the Onsite Sewage Management Databases.
• Monitoring of problem sites and areas to determine impacts and solutions from current effluent disposal systems.
• General advice and education we provide to owner(s)

Any property connected to the council water main will pay an annual connection charge per tenement (e.g. each separately occupied house, flat, unit etc.). These connected charges are based on the size of the water meter connected to the property.

Any vacant land within 225 metres via public access road or easement in Council’s favour of the council 100mm or greater water main will be levied an annual availability charge.

Strata Units

Strata units are levied an annual water connection charge per unit. Strata units that do not have individual water meters will be billed for water consumption, which will be forwarded to the owner’s corporation. Those units serviced by a dedicated water meter to each unit will receive an individual water consumption notice in the unit owner’s name.

Council, in accordance with Section 496 of the Local Government Act, must levy a separate annual charge for domestic waste management services. The cost of these services cannot be financed from ordinary rates, and the charge must be sufficient to recover the reasonable costs of providing the services.

Domestic waste management charges provide for garbage, green waste and recycling services (red, green & yellow), where available.

• An annual availability charge is levied on all properties classified as vacant land within a serviceable area.
• If you require a new service, bin repairs or if your bins have been stolen, please get in touch with JR Richards on 1800 335 599.
• After bins have been ordered, they must remain on the property for which they were ordered. They are not to be removed from the property.

Trade Waste means all liquid waste other than sewage of a domestic nature.

Grease, solids, chemicals or other contaminants can be present in trade waste. For this reason, trade waste almost always requires pre-treatment before it is discharged into the sewer.

• An annual charge will be levied on properties that generate liquid trade waste.
• For further information contact Council’s Trade Waste Officer on 6643 0200.

An annual waste management charge has been introduced on all rateable properties. It will fund the operation network of waste transfer stations, including waste disposal.

A Stormwater Management Charge has been introduced to most urban residential and business category properties that will be used for a dedicated Urban Stormwater Management Program.

Depending on individual lots, stormwater management does not always mean kerb and guttering on the street. There are many drainage systems or waterways that receive urban stormwater that council maintains.

Typical stormwater management activities include:

The charge was introduced to the Local Government Act in 2005 enabling councils to make an annual charge for each parcel of rateable land for which a stormwater management service is provided. While most councils in NSW have implemented the charge, until now Clarence Valley Council has not yet done so.

In accordance with Section 496A of the Local Government Act 1993 and regulation 125A of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 (LGR) Council will levy a Stormwater Management Service Charge against rateable properties for which the service is available. Council has identified the residential and business properties that are within Council’s urban stormwater catchment areas that will be subject to this charge. The following charging methodology will be used by Council using the guidelines released by the Office of Local Government as well as considering Section 510A of the Local Government Act 1993 and regulation 125AA of the LGR.

The guidelines provide Council with the opportunity to levy charges on a catchment area or global basis, while ensuring that the total income generated does not exceed the level of expenditure for new and additional stormwater management services. Council has a stormwater capital works program and as a result, a global approach will be used to enable significant works to be funded at a given time using all revenue levied, rather than waiting to collect enough funds in individual catchments. In accordance with these guidelines, Council still needs to ensure equitable distribution of stormwater management services over time.

Eligible Properties categorised as Residential (Not being Strata Titled) – LGR 125AA (1)(a)

A flat charge of $25.00 for a “Stormwater Management Charge – Residential” is to be charged against each eligible assessment categorised as Residential within the urban stormwater catchment. This charge is uniform across all urban catchment areas to minimize administration costs.

Eligible Properties categorised as Residential (Strata Units) – LGR 125AA (1)(c) T

he cost of managing stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces is usually substantially less per residential strata lot than per standard residential property. It is for this reason that a flat charge of $12.50 for a “Stormwater Management Charge – Strata Unit” is to be levied against each eligible residential strata unit within the urban stormwater catchment. This charge is uniform across all urban catchment areas to minimize administration costs.

Eligible Properties categorised as Business (Not being Strata Titled) – LGR 125AA (1)(c)

A “Stormwater Management Charge – Business” is to be charged against each eligible assessment (not being strata titled) and categorised as business, within the urban stormwater catchment area. This charge is based on the total impervious area of the property. A charge of $25.00 for each 350 square metres of impervious land or part thereof will be levied up to a maximum of $500.00. The criteria for charging business properties by using property impervious areas had been recommended using the guidelines provided by the Office of Local Government.

Eligible Properties categorised as Business (Strata Units) – LGR 125AA (1)(d)

A Stormwater Management Service Charge will be levied a $12.50 charge on each eligible business strata unit within the urban stormwater catchment area.