Seqwater has developed the Land Use Risk Tool (LURT) to make better informed planning and design decisions about on-site wastewater treatment systems.

On-site wastewater treatment systems (OWTS), also often referred to as On-site Sewage Facilities (OSSF or OSF), are generally the only available means for treatment of domestic wastewater in areas that are not serviced by centralised collection and treatment (ie. unsewered areas). OWTS are particularly prevalent in South East Queensland (SEQ) due to population growth in the urban fringe, areas which are often not serviced by reticulated wastewater networks. 

Domestic wastewater poses an inherent risk to drinking water supplies due to its microbial and chemical constituents.  This includes risks associated with human pathogenic bacteria, protozoa and viruses as well as nitrogen and phosphorous which may result in undesirable ecosystem changes (e.g. algal blooms, eutrophication).  If not appropriately treated, domestic wastewater presents a potential risk to the drinking water supply, the environment and water-based recreational activities in the catchment.

To manage the risk of OWTS in the drinking water catchment, Seqwater partnered with Cardno and Queensland University of Technology to develop a risk-based decision support tool to assist local government and others to make better informed planning and design decisions about OWTS.

Seqwater’s web-based Land Use Risk Tool (LURT) is used to determine the risk of OWTS and compliance with the Seqwater Development Guidelines.  It is to be used by on-site wastewater designers, and the planning profession, when planning for and designing a wastewater treatment system located within a drinking water catchment in SEQ.

It is important to note that the LURT may not be appropriate for use in the consideration of reconfiguring a lot applications, where resulting lots will require OWTS. Such applications require assessment against additional assessment benchmarks than those considered in the LURT, which are contained in the Seqwater Development Guidelines.

The LURT requires a medium or lower risk rating to comply with the applicable provisions of the Seqwater Development Guidelines.  Where a medium or lower risk rating is obtained, draft conditions are generated.  When submitting as part of a development application, the draft conditions will be sent to Seqwater for review, if you would like Seqwater to proceed to issue final conditions you are required to submit a copy of the supporting Site and Soil Evaluation and Wastewater Design Report.

For assistance with using the tool, email [email protected].