Work out which system you're on
Council says your SA Water bill shows if the house is connected to SA Water sewer, and your annual council rate notice shows if it's on the CWMS.
If the property can't connect to SA Water sewer, you must apply to Council for approval before any wastewater works. If it is on SA Water sewer, the Office of the Technical Regulator regulates the plumbing.
McLaren Vale facts that shape the job
A council-run network
Where SA Water's wastewater network doesn't reach, the City of Onkaparinga owns and operates a CWMS. One of its seven networks is in McLaren Vale, and treated wastewater goes to the Willunga Basin Water Company for reuse.
Mostly houses, mostly owned
At the 2021 Census, 84.8% of occupied homes in the suburb were separate houses. 44.2% were owned outright, against 32.8% statewide, and only 15.3% were rented.
Southern Vales Ward
McLaren Vale sits in the City of Onkaparinga's Southern Vales Ward, with McLaren Flat, Old Noarlunga and Blewitt Springs.
A slow or blocked drain on the CWMS
Find the boundary connection point
Every CWMS property has one, fitted with an inspection point (IP). It marks the change from private pipes to public ones. Lift the cover.
Run a tap inside the house
If no water flows through the IP, Council says the blockage is most likely on your property, and a licensed plumber should clear it.
If the IP is full of water
The blockage is most likely in Council's drain. Contact the City of Onkaparinga for an assessment instead.
Living with a septic tank
On the CWMS, Council maintains the pipes outside your property and arranges for your septic tank to be pumped out. Your part is to have the tank lid exposed when the contractor comes.
Keep stormwater out of it: roof water, rainwater tank overflow and pool or spa backwash are all banned from the system. Replacing or altering a septic tank needs approval from Council's Environmental Health team. Homes with an aerated wastewater treatment system must have it serviced every quarter, with the report sent to Council. Our septic systems page explains what a plumber checks.
Other jobs around McLaren Vale
Hot water, gas and leaks follow South Australia's usual rules. You should get an electronic certificate of compliance within 7 days of plumbing work. Start with hot water in Adelaide or gas fitting.
What we would do
Dig out last year's rate notice and your water bill before you book. They tell you whether this is a Council job or an SA Water one. If you're on the CWMS, do the inspection point test first: it can save you paying a plumber for a blockage that turns out to be Council's.