Our sewerage system

Central Coast Sewage Treatment

Central Coast Council is responsible for treating 87 million litres of sewage daily. Watch the video below to learn how you can contribute to its efficiency and environmental protection.

Dunny Do's and Dunny Don'ts

When it comes to flushing, there's a right way and a wrong way. The only things that should be flushed down the toilet are human waste and toilet paper - also known as the 3P's (pee, poo and toilet paper). 

Wet wipes and sanitary products do not break down. This means they can clump together to form pipe-clogging masses known as fatbergs. Wet wipes can cause serious blockages to our sewerage system. Although often marketed as ‘flushable’, they don’t break down like toilet paper. 

• Items such as tissues, wet wipes, flushable wipes, paper towels, tampons, nappies and other sanitary products should be bagged and binned, not flushed. 

A blockage in our system not only results in a costly repair but it increases the risk of an overflow into our local creeks, rivers and lakes. A blockage in your internal pipes could also cost you thousands of dollars to fix in plumbing bills. 

• Remember: only flush the 3P's (pee, poo and toilet paper). 

   

Protect Your Pipes

Please keep these items out of your sinks and drains: 

• Food scraps
• Oils, fats and grease
• Paints, motor oils, chemicals and medication

They can cause blockages to your pipes and also be harmful to our sewerage system and the environment.

Think Before You Sink

Our sewerage network is not designed to handle fats, oils, grease, food scraps, medicines and chemicals.

• Use a sink strainer to prevent food scraps from going down the drain and dispose of them in your red lid bin. If you have a compost bin or worm farm, remember to put your fruit and vegetable scraps in this.
• It is important that paints, chemicals and motor oils are never put down the sink or drain. Dispose of chemicals and paints through Chemical Cleanout Events or recycle them along with motor oils at Buttonderry Community Recycling Centre free of charge. 
• Let grease, oils and fats cool down and then dispose of them by pouring or scraping into a sealable container, or a small piece of aluminium foil. Wipe any residue from pots or pans with paper towel. Place the paper towel and the sealed container in the red lid general waste bin for disposal.
• Dispose of unwanted or out of date medications via participating Return Med pharmacies. 

Ensure only water, soap, and toothpaste go down your sink drains and only flush pee, poo and toilet paper in your toilet.