What shapes a Mandurah plumbing job
Renters, units and empty homes
At the 2021 Census, 52.3% of occupied homes in the suburb were rented, against 27.3% across WA. They were 46.1% separate houses, 37.3% townhouses or semis and 14.1% flats, and 22.7% of private dwellings were unoccupied on Census night.
Water Corporation's treatment plant
Water Corporation runs the Gordon Road wastewater plant in Mandurah and is lifting its treatment capacity from 12 to 15.5 million litres a day, for growth in Mandurah and surrounding districts to 2036.
The usual on-site system
Off the sewer, the standard City-approved system is two septic tanks with either two leach drains or four soakwells. Environmentally sensitive areas need a nutrient retentive system instead.
Tree Approval Areas
Near waterways, in rural and some residential zones and on lots over 4,000m2, written permission from the City is needed before removing, pruning or altering any vegetation.
Septic rules in the City of Mandurah
Installing, upgrading or moving any wastewater system needs City approval first. The plumber must meet the conditions on the permit to install, and the system can only be used once a permit to use follows the final inspection.
Decommissioning is compulsory within 60 days of a change of ownership or a material change of use, and before foundations go closer than 1.2 metres to the tank or a building goes over it. A tank that hasn't been decommissioned can't be paved or built over without approval. Our septic systems page has more.
Gas, and homes that sit empty
Mandurah is part of the ATCO gas distribution network that also serves greater Perth, whichever retailer sends your bill. Gas work must be done by a gas fitter licensed by Building and Energy, and for anything beyond servicing, the fitter gives you a Notice of Completion within 48 hours.
If a home will be empty for a while, find the mains tap first: it's near the water meter, usually by the verge, and closes clockwise. See gas plumbers in Perth and emergency plumbing in Perth.
What we would do
If you're buying in Mandurah, ask the seller in writing whether the home ever had a septic tank and whether it was decommissioned, and get proof, as the City advises new owners to. If a drain or wastewater problem turns up later, we'll match you with a specialist who works on that kind of system.