'Just Google it': canned sewer contract leaves residents steaming

Charlene Barnard and her husband Gus are one of about 195 households who were unceremoniously told to "search the internet" for terms like 'sewage removal services Hunter area' or 'sewage removal services near me' because their septic tank wouldn't be emptied from June 30.

Lake Macquarie council has provided the service since 1989, until it recently ended its contract with Remondis leaving mums and dads to negotiate their own deals with providers, which Ms Barnard said will at best leave her $2470 worse off each year.

"Our community is a small community, our housing prices are lower than other areas, it's a low socio-economic community and council have literally dumped us with very little help," she said.

"With the current cost of living, this is going to make the difference on a daily or weekly basis on whether we can or can't afford to feed our families, we will struggle to pay this bill at which time we have to make a decision between whether to have the effluent removed or to do the groceries."

In a letter to residents, the council suggested they should 'talk to their neighbours', arguing if multiple dwellings use the same provider, they might get a discounted bulk rate.

Ms Barnard said that as a full-time working mum, banding together hundreds of residents from Seahampton to Wyee isn't in her wheelhouse.

"The council is supposed to be here to help residents negotiate bigger things like this and help them," she said.

"I am not a lawyer, I don't negotiate contracts for a living, and now I'm being told as an everyday person to go out, negotiate a contract with a big company and at best get friends involved.

"The council has basically washed their hands of us, I think it's really unfair of the council, they're not thinking about the impact this will have on young families and pensioners, they've just said 'Google it, and good luck'.

"It's just shit."

Under the current contract, residents pay for the service as part of their rates, for Ms Barnard, it's roughly $105 a fortnight.

So far she's called around and received quotes of up to $250 a fortnight and been told by at least three companies that they either don't service the area or don't provide domestic call outs.

An online petition addressed to NSW Premier Chris Minns asking for urgent assistance for residents has already clocked up 228 signatures since Thursday.

Lake Macquarie Liberal Cr Jason Pauling has moved a motion for Monday night's meeting asking for a memo outlining the impacts on residents, a communication plan and options to help bundle clients to improve their bargaining power.

He told the Newcastle Herald he's received more calls about this issue than any other in recent history.

"It's been very by the book, but not very humanistic and that's my biggest issue here," he said.

"This is civic leadership, we're a council that prides ourselves on civic leadership, consultation with our community and social responsibility and conscience - and I don't think we've satisfied those expectations in this instance.

"We're not the ultimate bad guy, if I'm critical of anything it's the lack of infrastructure on the western side of the lake particularly Hunter Water.

"More services, greater capacity, particularly given that area in the next two decades is going to continue to be one of the highest growth areas in the state and here we are arguing about getting sewer services sorted."

A Lake Macquarie council spokesman told the Herald that when it introduced the service, there were very few contractors available to undertake the work.

"Since the original contract in 1989, many properties have connected to the sewer network and the number of residential properties that still require this service has decreased to 195," he said.

"At the same time, the availability of contractors to service these properties has increased significantly."

The spokesman said the council sought tenders for a potential future contract in 2023 which showed any major benefit of a single service "no longer existed".

He said direct contracting would allow residents to choose a service that fits their needs, rather than a mandatory fortnightly pump-out.

Last year, Hunter Water completed the $36 million Wyee Sewer Scheme, which has given more than 400 homes in the area access to the sewer network for the first time.

A Hunter Water spokesman said homes in Wyee with direct access to its new sewer infrastructure are encouraged to connect.

"Beyond Wyee, there remain 23 townships across the Lower Hunter that rely on on-site wastewater management systems," he said.

"Hunter Water estimates that the total cost of connecting these 2,500 lots to the reticulated wastewater network is at least $150 million, or more than $60,000 per property on average.

"Under the IPART regulatory framework, existing property owners are responsible for most of these costs, as the primary beneficiaries of any new sewer infrastructure."

He said well-maintained on-site systems can perform as well as Hunter Water's reticulated network without detrimental environmental impact and at a lower cost to property owners.

A Remondis spokesman said it recently reached out to residents to assure them they can continue services.

"Because we have flexibility to tailor services around the needs of each customer, charges may vary from house to house and may be more or less than the current subsidised service," he said.

"We'll finalise those charges once we're clearer on the take-up. Affected residents are encouraged to contact our local Customer Service Team on (02) 4921 7600."