Sewage pollution
As the number of large recreational boats and commercial vessels in Western Australian waters increases, it is becoming more and more important to control the discharge of sewage into the marine environment.
Marine pollution due to sewage and sullage is regulated at the international, national and state levels.
How does it enter the marine environment?
Treated and untreated sewage can be discharged from vessels under normal operating conditions. Accidental discharges could also come from vessels and land-based sources.
Sewage treatment plants may also make controlled discharges into the water.
What impact does it have?
Sewage can have varying effects on the marine environment, depending on habitat types and locations. Some may be able to absorb more sewage, but others could be significantly impacted.
Large quantities of nutrient-rich sewage may encourage algal blooms, which deplete the oxygen supply, killing larger marine life.
Sewage could also introduce bacteria that cause disease for humans who come into contact with it, or who eat seafood from an affected area.
What you can do
You can reduce the amount of sewage being released into the water by:
- Using shore facilities when in harbour, rather than your vessel's toilet.
- Installing an approved sewage treatment system in your boat if possible (please contact the Department of Health for more information).
Sewage regulations
Department of Transport sewage strategy
The Department of Transport's sewage strategy provides guidelines for sewage discharge in Western Australian waters. It established 3 zones based on the degree of risk to public health and the environment:
- Zone 1 - No discharge.
- Zone 2 - No discharge except for vessels with approved treatment systems.
- Zone 3 - Open zone.
Please download our sewage strategy below.
Other regulations
Other State Government agencies that regulate sewage pollution include:
Sewage discharge zones
The following information is provided to assist Western Australian boat owners in the responsible disposal of sewage from their vessel.
Zone 1: No discharge
There is strictly no discharge of any sewage from a vessel in the following areas
- Marinas, yacht clubs, boat harbours and ports.
- Most inland waterways, including the Swan and Canning rivers.
- The Rottnest Island reserve.
- Marine nature reserves and sanctuary zones within marine parks.
- Designated areas of marine parks, marine management areas or fish habitat protection areas.
- Within 500 metres of any aquaculture operation.
- Within 100 metres of any recognised swimming area.
Zone 2: No discharge except for vessels with approved treatment systems
Vessels with a WA Department of Health approved sewage treatment system may discharge sewage in this zone, as long as the equipment is functionally properly.
This discharge is limited to waters not included in Zone 1 and designated parts of estuaries, marine parks and fish habitat protection areas.
Treated sewage must not be discharged less than 20 metres from a stationary vessel or person in the water.
Zone 3: Open
All other waters not designated under Zones 1 or 2 are considered open for untreated sewage discharge.
Sewage must not be discharged within 500 metres of land or 100 metres of a stationary vessel or person in the water.
Sewage discharge sites
| Location | Address details | Fee type |
|---|---|---|
Albany |
Amity Quays, Princess Royal Drive |
Free |
Albany |
Emu Beach Holiday Park, 8 Medcalf Parade |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Albany |
Middleton Beach Holiday Park |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Augusta |
Turner Caravan Park, 1 Blackwood Avenue |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Barradale |
Barradale Rest Area, Yannarie River |
Free |
Binnu |
Murchison River Crossing |
|
Broome |
Cable Beach Caravan Park, 8 Millington Road |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Broome |
Palm Grove Caravan Park, corner Cable Beach Rd and Murray Road |
For registered guests only |
Bunbury |
Bunbury Village Holiday Park, corner Bussell Highway and Washington Avenue |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Bunbury |
Koombana Bay Holiday Resort, Koombana Drive |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Busselton |
Amblin Caravan Park, 583-585 Bussell Highway |
For registered guests only |
Busselton |
Kookaburra Caravan Park, 66 Marine Terrace |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Busselton |
Peppermint Park Eco Village, 97 Caves Road |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Carnarvon |
Carnarvon Public Dump Point, Robinson Street |
Free |
Cervantes |
Cervantes Waste Transfer Station and Recycling Centre, 5 Estella Way, Cervantes |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Coral Bay |
Peoples Park Caravan Village, Lot 11 Robinson Street |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Dampier |
Dampier Transit Caravan Park |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Dawesville |
Dawesville Holiday Village, 1149 Old Coast Road |
For registered guests only |
Denham |
Denham Seaside Tourist Resort |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Denmark |
Peaceful Bay Ring Road, Peaceful Bay |
|
Derby |
Kimberley Entrance Caravan Park |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Derby |
West Kimberley Lodge and Caravan Park |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Dongara |
Dongara Denison Beach Holiday Park, 250 Ocean Drive |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Dongara |
Dongara Dump Point, 9518 Waldeck Street |
Free |
Esperance |
Esperance Bay Holiday Park, 162 Dempster Street |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Exmouth |
Murat Road, Exmouth |
|
Exmouth |
Ningaloo Caravan and Holiday Resort |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Fremantle |
Fremantle Village Caravan Park |
For registered guests only |
Geraldton |
Batavia Coast Caravan Park, 239 Hall Road |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Geraldton |
Greenough Rivermouth Caravan Park |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Geraldton |
Sunset Beach Holiday Park |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Guilderton |
Guilderton Caravan Park, 2 Dewar Street |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Hopetoun |
1 Senna Road |
Free |
Jurien Bay |
Jurien Bay Caravan Park, 1 Roberts Street |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Kalbarri |
Kalbarri Town Dump, Porter Street |
Free |
Kalbarri |
Kalbarri Tudor Caravan Park, 10 Porter Street |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Kalbarri |
Murchison Caravan Park, 92 Grey Street |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Kununurra |
Kununurra Town Caravan Park, 40 Bloodwood Drive |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Kununurra |
Ord River Road House, 5 Messmate Way |
Free (with fuel fill up) |
Mandurah |
Peel Caravan Park, 598 Pinjarra Road |
For registered guests only |
Margaret River |
79 Walcliffe Road, Margaret River |
For registered guests only |
Myalup |
Myalup Beach Caravan Park, Myalup Beach Road |
For registered guests only |
Northampton |
Northampton Public Dump Point, behind Memorial Gardens |
Free |
Onslow |
Onslow Public Dump Point, Cameron Avenue |
Free |
Point Samson |
The Cove Caravan Park, 259 MacLeod Street |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Port Hedland |
Cooke Point Holiday Park, Taylor Street |
For registered guests only |
Port Hedland |
Eighty Mile Caravan Park |
For registered guests only |
Port Hedland |
Port Hedland Caravan Park, 945 Great Northern Highway |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Walpole |
Coalmine Beach Holiday Park, Coalmine Beach Road |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Woodman Point |
Woodman Point Holiday Park |
Free for registered guests or fee for dump point use only |
Special rules for popular boating locations
Rottnest Island
Release of untreated sewage is prohibited in the bays and designated sanctuary zones (see Zone 1 above). Waste from a Department of Health approved treatment units may be discharged into other parts of the marine reserve (see Zone 2 above).
For more information, please go to the Rottnest Island Authority.
Swan and Canning rivers
Sewage discharge is totally prohibited (see Zone 1 above).
For more information on the Swan and Canning Riverpark, please go to the Swan River trust.
Murray and Serpentine rivers
Sewage discharge is totally prohibited (see Zone 1 above).
Peel and Harvey Inlet
Sewage discharge is totally prohibited (see Zone 1 above).