How far from my house must a Baldivis soakwell be?

The City of Rockingham's rule is that the distance from every building and boundary must be at least the soakwell's depth, measured from ground level. On smaller lots an engineer may need to certify the design.

Do I need approval to remove a tree on my block?

Not on a residential lot under the City's planning scheme, though other clearing approvals can apply. On Rural, Special Rural or Special Residential zoned land, removing native vegetation needs Rockingham's approval.

Plumbers in Baldivis: soakwells, sewer connections and bores

Plumbers in Baldivis Soakwells, sewer and bores.

Baldivis is nearly all separate houses, and most owners are still paying off a mortgage. The City of Rockingham sets the soakwell and on-site wastewater rules, and Water Corporation runs the mains. Post the job and it goes to licence-checked plumbers who cover Baldivis and specialise in that kind of work.

Baldivis facts for a plumbing job

Big on houses

At the 2021 Census, 95.5% of the suburb's occupied homes were separate houses, against 79.7% across WA. 59.3% were owned with a mortgage and 22.2% were rented.

Soakwell setbacks

Rockingham requires a soakwell to sit at least as far from every building and boundary as it is deep, measured from ground level. All stormwater has to be dealt with inside the lot.

Where there's no sewer

Without sewerage, Rockingham requires an on-site system such as a septic tank system or aerobic treatment unit, and nutrient retentive systems in sensitive environmental areas.

Trees on rural zoned land

Removing native vegetation, even one tree, on Rural, Special Rural or Special Residential zoned land needs the City's approval. The scheme sets no such requirement on residential lots.

If your property isn't on sewer

Rockingham's Health Services must approve an on-site system before it's installed. Once it's in, the plumber books a final inspection, and the City issues a Permit to Use if it passes. Greywater and on-site systems must sit entirely inside the property, never on the verge.

Water Corporation is laying sewer mains in parts of the City under the State Government's Infill Sewer Program. When sewer reaches your street you must connect within Water Corporation's timeframe. The old tanks are pumped out by a licensed liquid waste contractor, then removed or broken and filled with clean sand. Our septic systems page has more.

Bores and the drinking supply

Water Corporation says 1 in 4 household gardens use bore water. A bore pump cross connected to the house plumbing can force bore water into the mains supply at higher pressure. That's backflow, so the two systems need to stay separate, especially after garden or retic changes.

On the sewer side, you pay to clear blockages in your own line as far as the junction with Water Corporation's main. If the blockage turns out to be in the main, Water Corporation pays the plumber a standard fee for finding it.

Useful next: Perth blocked drains, Perth hot water and backflow testing.

What we would do

Buying an established Baldivis home? Ask whether it's on sewer or an on-site system, and if a system was decommissioned, ask for the paperwork. If you run a bore, have a plumber confirm it can't feed back into the house supply. Planning a patio or more paving? Check the soakwell setbacks before the concrete goes down.