Eltham facts behind the job
Majority sewered
Nillumbik's 2024-2029 wastewater plan says sewer has reached the majority of Eltham. Low density housing sits around the town, and outer areas of Eltham are in the Community Sewerage Program.
Owners, not landlords
In the suburb of Eltham, 42.2% of occupied homes were owned outright at the 2021 Census, against 32.2% across Victoria. Only 11.9% were rented, and 85.9% were separate houses.
Thousands of onsite systems
Nillumbik counts about 4,600 onsite wastewater systems across the Shire and has no records for about 17 per cent of them.
Trees may need a permit
Pruning or removing a tree on private land may need a planning permit from Nillumbik, Council says.
Where Eltham's sewer has gone, and where it's going
Sewer has been reaching more of Eltham for a decade. Sewer was provided to about 180 properties in Eltham and Research in 2013 and 2014, and to 300 in Eltham South, finished in November 2022. One more Eltham area, 21 lots known as CSA052, is scheduled for 2028 in the plan.
If your street is in a program area, Yarra Valley Water can tell you the timing. Its two published descriptions of the sewer branch limit differ, so get it to confirm where its pipe ends at your address before any work on your side.
Living with a septic system
The plan says a significant share of the Shire's onsite systems aren't performing satisfactorily. If you own one, keep your own file: when it went in, its permit, and every pump-out. Council may not hold a record of it.
Victorian environment protection rules make the owner responsible for running the system to its permit conditions, reporting a failing system to Council and keeping maintenance records. A plumber who works on septic systems can inspect the tank and the disposal area for you.
Meters, trees and hot water
On mains water, Yarra Valley Water owns the meter and the stop tap and repairs the pipe between the main and the meter even though it doesn't own it. Every pipe from the meter to the house belongs to you.
Before a trench goes near a big tree, check with Nillumbik whether a planning permit applies. Roots already in a drain are covered on our tree roots page.
With so many homes owned outright, the 2027 gas rule is worth knowing. From 1 March 2027, a gas hot water system in an existing home must be replaced with an efficient electric option once it reaches end-of-life. Repairs are still allowed. See hot water in Melbourne.
What we would do
Find out first whether the house is on sewer or septic, because it decides who you need. Nillumbik can check its records, but it lacks records for about 17 per cent of the Shire's systems, so look through your own paperwork too. For sewer jobs, have Yarra Valley Water confirm its end of the pipe before anyone digs. Then send us the details and a licence-checked specialist in that work can take it on.