AS/NZS 1546.

1:1998

Australian/New Zealand Standard®

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________________________________________________________

On-site domestic wastewater

treatment units

Part 1: Septic tanks

________________________________________________________
 This Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard was prepared by Joint Technical Committee WS/13 On-site
Domestic Wastewater Management. It was approved on behalf of the Council of Standards Australia on
13 February 1998 and on behalf of the Council of Standards New Zealand on 9 January 1998. It was
published on 5 April 1998.
________________

The following interests are represented on the committee responsible for this draft Australian/ New Zealand
Standard:
Association of Certification Bodies (Australia)
Australian Society of Soil Science Inc.
Australian Water and Wastewater Association
Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia
Composites Institute of Australia Inc.
Department of Health New South Wales
Department of Health Tasmania
Department of Human Services Victoria
Department of Natural Resources Queensland
Environment Protection Authority of Victoria
Environment Management Industry Association of Australia
Health Department of Western Australia
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Institution of Engineers Australia

Master Plumbers Australia
National Precast Concrete Association of Australia
Plastics and Chemical Industries Association Incorporated
Public Works Department New South Wales
Queensland Confederation of Industry
Queensland Department of Housing Local Government and Planning
South Australian Health Commission
Victorian Precast Septic Tank Manufacturers Association Inc.

Association of Rotational Moulders (Australasia)

Composite Association of New Zealand
Institute of New Zealand Plumbing and Drainage Inspectors
Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand
Local Government New Zealand
Ministry of Health New Zealand
New Zealand Institute of Environmental Health Incorporated
New Zealand Manufacturers Federation
New Zealand Society of Master Plumbers & Gasfitters
New Zealand Water and Wastes Association
The University of Auckland Department of Civil and Resource Engineering

________________

Review of Standards. To keep abreast of progress in industry, Joint Australian/New Zealand Standards are
subject to periodic review and are kept up to date by the issue of amendments or new editions as necessary.
It is important therefore that Standards users ensure that they are in possession of the latest edition, and any
amendments thereto.
Full details of all Joint Standards and related publications will be found in the Standards Australia and
Standards New Zealand Catalogue of Publications; this information is supplemented by the magazines 'The
Australian Standard' and 'Standards New Zealand', which subscribing members receive, and which give
details of new publications, new editions and amendments, and of withdrawn Standards.
Suggestions for improvements to Joint Standards, addressed to the head office of either Standards Australia
or Standards New Zealand, are welcomed. Notification of any inaccuracy or ambiguity found in a Joint
Australian/New Zealand Standard should be made without delay in order that the matter may be
investigated and appropriate action taken.
________________

This Standard was issued in draft form for comment as DR 96033.

 AS/NZS 1546.1:1998

Australian/New Zealand Standard®

________________________________________________________

On-site domestic wastewater

treatment units
This is a free 8 page sample. Access the full version online.

Part 1: Septic tanks

________________________________________________________

Originated in Australia as AS A178-1968.

Final Australian edition AS 1546-1990.
Originated in New Zealand in part as NZCP 44:1961.
Final New Zealand edition NZS 4610:1982.
AS 1546-1990 and NZS 4610:1982 jointly revised, amalgamated and
redesignated AS/NZS 1546.1:1998.

PUBLISHED JOINTLY BY:

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA
1 The Crescent,
Homebush NSW 2140 Australia

STANDARDS NEW ZEALAND

155 The Terrace,
Wellington 6001 New Zealand

ISBN 0 7337 1882 5

 AS/NZS 1546.1:1998 2

PREFACE

This Standard is one of a series being prepared by the Joint Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand
Committee WS/13 on On-site Domestic Wastewater Management. It will supersede AS 1546-1990, Small
septic tanks, and NZS 4610:1982 (in part), Household septic tank systems. Other Standards covering
aerated wastewater treatment systems and waterless composting toilets are in the course of preparation.

There is a twofold objective in this Standard. The first is to provide a set of performance statements which
define the requirements of a septic tank and which provide a base against which any septic tank,
conventional or innovative may be assessed. The second is to provide manufacturers of conventional septic
tanks and associated fittings systems made of various materials with basic manufacturing and test
specifications. These will enable certification bodies to check that a product conforms to the Standard.

The illustrations used in this Standard are diagrammatic only and are chosen to illustrate principles of
design or operation.

The terms ‘normative’ and ‘informative’ have been used in this Standard to define the application of the
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appendix to which they apply. A ‘normative’ appendix is an integral part of a Standard, whereas an
‘informative’ appendix is only for information and guidance.

Clauses prefixed by “C” and printed in italic type are comments, explanations, summaries of technical
background, recommended practice or suggest approaches which satisfy the intent of the Standard.
Corresponding mandatory clauses are not always present.

 Copyright – STANDARDS AUSTRALIA/STANDARDS NEW ZEALAND

Users of Standards are reminded that copyright subsists in all Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand publications and software. Except
where the Copyright Act allows and except where provided for below no publications or software produced by Standards Australia or Standards
New Zealand may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in writing from
Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand. Permission may be conditional on an appropriate royalty payment. Australian requests for permission
and information on commercial software royalties should be directed to the head office of Standards Australia. New Zealand requests should be
directed to Standards New Zealand.
Up to 10 percent of the technical content pages of a Standard may be copied for use exclusively in-house by purchasers of the Standard without
payment of a royalty or advice to Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand.
Inclusion of copyright material in computer software programs is also permitted without royalty payment provided such programs are used
exclusively in-house by the creators of the programs.
Care should be taken to ensure that material used is from the current edition of the Standard and that it is updated whenever the Standard is amended
or revised. The number and date of the Standard should therefore be clearly identified.
The use of material in print form or in computer software programs to be used commercially, with or without payment, or in commercial contracts is
subject to the payment of a royalty. This policy may be varied by Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand at any time.
 3 AS/NZS 1546.1:1998

CONTENTS
Page

Preface ........................................................................................................................................... 2
Referenced documents .............................................................................................................................. 7

SECTION

1 GENERAL
1.1 Objective............................................................................................................................. 6
1.2 Scope .................................................................................................................................. 6
1.3 Application ......................................................................................................................... 6
1.4 Legislation .......................................................................................................................... 7
1.5 Referenced documents ........................................................................................................ 7
1.6 Definitions ........................................................................................................................ 7

PERFORMANCE

2 PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

2.1 Scope ................................................................................................................................ 10
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2.2 Function and context of use ............................................................................................. 10

2.3 Performance requirements ............................................................................................... 10
2.4 Performance criteria ........................................................................................................ 11

MEANS OF COMPLIANCE

3 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF CONVENTIONAL SEPTIC TANKS

3.1 Scope ................................................................................................................................ 16
3.2 Septic tank capacities ........................................................................................................ 16
3.3 Materials durability........................................................................................................... 16
3.4 Design .............................................................................................................................. 16
3.5 Inlet fittings and outlet fittings .......................................................................................... 16
3.6 Position of inlet and outlet fittings in tank......................................................................... 18
3.7 Gas baffles ........................................................................................................................ 18
3.8 Partitions .......................................................................................................................... 18
3.9 Vents ................................................................................................................................ 19
3.10 Access openings and covers............................................................................................... 19
3.11 Extensions ........................................................................................................................ 19
3.12 Marking............................................................................................................................ 19
3.13 Installation........................................................................................................................ 19

4 MARKING OF SEPTIC TANKS

4.1 Scope ................................................................................................................................ 24
4.2 General ............................................................................................................................ 24
4.3 Requirements .................................................................................................................... 24

5 TESTING REQUIREMENTS OF SEPTIC TANKS

5.1 Scope ................................................................................................................................ 25
5.2 Type testing ...................................................................................................................... 25
5.3 Routine quality testing ...................................................................................................... 25
5.4 Quality certification .......................................................................................................... 25
 AS/NZS 1546.1:1998 4

Page
6 PRECAST CONCRETE STEEL REINFORCED SEPTIC TANKS AND
PRECAST CONCRETE STEEL FIBRE REINFORCED SEPTIC TANKS
6.1 Scope ................................................................................................................................ 26
6.2 Materials........................................................................................................................... 26
6.3 Concrete............................................................................................................................ 26
6.4 Testing.............................................................................................................................. 27
6.5 Manufacture...................................................................................................................... 27
6.6 Thickness of tank components........................................................................................... 29
6.7 Reinforcement................................................................................................................... 30
6.8 Provision of fittings, partitions and their assembly ............................................................ 31

7 CAST-IN-SITU CONCRETE SEPTIC TANKS

7.1 Scope ............................................................................................................................... 32
7.2 Performance...................................................................................................................... 32
7.3 Materials........................................................................................................................... 32
7.4 Design .............................................................................................................................. 32
7.5 Marking............................................................................................................................ 32

8 REINFORCED CEMENT MORTAR SEPTIC TANKS

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8.1 Scope and general ............................................................................................................. 33

8.2 Performance...................................................................................................................... 33
8.3 Manufacture...................................................................................................................... 33

9 GLASS FIBRE-REINFORCED PLASTIC SEPTIC TANKS

9.1 Scope ................................................................................................................................ 34
9.2 Performance requirements................................................................................................. 34
9.3 Design .............................................................................................................................. 34
9.4 Manufacture...................................................................................................................... 35
9.5 Testing.............................................................................................................................. 38

10 PLASTIC (POLYOLEFIN) SEPTIC TANKS

10.1 Scope ............................................................................................................................... 40
10.2 Performance requirements................................................................................................. 40
10.3 Design .............................................................................................................................. 40
10.4 Manufacture...................................................................................................................... 41
10.5 Testing.............................................................................................................................. 42

APPENDICES

A Referenced documents ................................................................................................................. 44

B Septic tank capacities................................................................................................................... 47
C Test of the manufacturer’s instructions for the installation
of fittings in a sound and watertight manner ................................................................................ 48
D Determination of the resistance of a partition to a hydrostatic head (pumpout test)....................... 49
E Determination of watertightness................................................................................................... 50
F Determination of resistance to lateral load - hydraulic test method ............................................... 53
G Determination of resistance to lateral load - point load test method .............................................. 55
H Determination of resistance to top loading .................................................................................. 58
I Installation of septic tanks............................................................................................................ 61
J Determination of the hardness of glass fibre-reinforced plastic composites................................... 63
K Determination of the impact resistance of moulded polyolefin septic tanks................................... 64
 5 AS/NZS 1546.1:1998

Page
TABLES

6.1 Concrete characteristics ............................................................................................................... 27

6.2 Methods for manufacture ............................................................................................................. 28
6.3 Minimum concrete thickness ....................................................................................................... 29
6.4 Minimum concrete cover ............................................................................................................. 30
6.5 Minimum quantity of steel reinforcement measured as cross-sectional area.................................. 31
B1 Conventional septic tank capacities in litres ................................................................................. 47

FIGURES

3.1 Typical arrangement of a septic tank............................................................................................ 20

3.2 Typical UPVC fittings ................................................................................................................. 21
3.3 Typical alternative arrangement for precast concrete tanks
with a ‘U’-section scum baffle (outlet only).................................................................................. 21
3.4 Typical installation arrangement of inlet and outlet fittings.......................................................... 22
3.5 Typical gas baffle designs ............................................................................................................ 23
E1 Watertightness test arrangement for horizontal and vertical tank ................................................. 52
H1 Typical load testing set-up ........................................................................................................... 60
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 AS/NZS 1546.1:1998 6

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA/STANDARDS NEW ZEALAND

Australian/New Zealand Standard

On-site domestic wastewater treatment units

Part 1: Septic tanks

1 GENERAL

1.1 Objective
The objective of this Standard is to identify performance requirements and performance criteria for septic
tanks, to specify technical means of compliance and to provide test specifications that will enable septic
tanks to be manufactured to comply with the performance requirements and criteria.

C1.1
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Performance requirements and criteria for septic tanks are found in Section 2. Sections 3 onwards cover
‘means of compliance’ and testing for materials currently used to manufacture septic tanks.

1.2 Scope
This Standard covers the manufacture of conventional septic tanks and their associated fittings for the
treatment of domestic wastewater only. This range of tanks typically is designed to cater for:

All-waste (Blackwater + Greywater)

Blackwater only
Greywater (with or without kitchen waste included) only
and as
Holding tanks (collection wells).

Septic tanks covered by this Standard are suitable for a flow of domestic wastewater of up to 14,000 litres
per week.

C1.2
This flow limit represents an average daily flow of 2000 litres, being from up to 10 persons in a single
residence, or an institutional or commercial facility which may have a varying 7 day or 5 day operation
averaged out over a full week.

1.3 Application
This Standard is intended for use by consultants, designers, manufacturers, certifying bodies, installers and
regulators.

1.3.1 General
This Standard covers only the purpose and requirements of septic tanks and associated fittings. It does not
cover the drainage systems leading to the tank, (refer to AS/NZS 3500.2), nor the effluent disposal systems
associated with septic tanks, (refer to AS/NZS 1547, (in course of preparation).)

1.3.2 Conventional designs and materials

Traditionally certain materials, designs and techniques have been used and have become established. The
materials and associated designs shown in Sections 6 to 10 of this Standard have been proven through use
and are presented as examples of solutions that are a means of compliance with the provisions of this
Standard.

COPYRIGHT
 AS/NZS 1546.1:1998 On-site domestic wastewater treatment units - Septic tanks

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