Bodies corporate and committees in Brisbane urged to review waste policies in strata buildings
Unit owners in the Brisbane region are being warned they could be liable for major repair bills if they are not more careful in what they are flushing down toilets and drains, according to Ace Body Corporate Management.
Tens of thousands of dollars of body corporate and property owners’ funds are being flushed away as Brisbane and regions throughout Australia face what many are calling “wet wipe time bombs”.
In Queensland alone, 120 tonnes of wet wipes are removed from local sewage systems a year; and in the City of Sydney, it is costing local authorities $8 million a year to fix blockages, 75% of which are caused by wet wipes.
According to manufacturers, the core problem is the incorrect assumption that wet wipes disintegrate just like toilet paper. The reality rather, is that they form giant blockages in sewage systems.
Now a popular product for people looking to keep up with hygiene, experts warn that it is unlikely that purchasing trends in regions like Brisbane will change, so something must be done to mitigate their devastating impact on sewage.
Georgia Cook, Queensland State Manager of Ace Body Corporate Management, the largest 100% Australian owned strata management company, supports the call that people must get an education on disposal, before any progress can be made.
“It’s important that local authorities and State Governments urgently educate local residents on the impact incorrect waste disposal can have on a community, before this gets any worse,” Ms Cook said today.
“It will be too late for action when a sewage system servicing thousands of properties and residents needs to be ripped out of the ground due to this problem, so we ask the relevant authorities to prioritise public awareness.”
Ms Cook says that beyond awareness however, the professionals managing properties within Australia’s biggest property sector, strata, also have a role to play by informing the Body Corporate and Committees of this problem and encouraging them to promote it to all occupants within their community.
“The strata sector is well on its way to emerge as the biggest property sector in Brisbane and around the country, and we want the professionals in charge of these properties to positively influence the outcome of this issue.”
“A sewage matter in a strata title property can simultaneously affect the lives of hundreds of property owners and tenants, so it’s vital that bodies corporate and their committees are all across this issue.”
Ms Cook says that waste management policies within strata properties should be where the focus lies.
“There must be guidelines specific to how waste within a strata community is managed, and we want to see considerations for wet wipes made across the country.”
“Unless there is a concerted effort to inform property owners and tenants of the financial damage, incorrect waste disposal will create for their community, this will plague our biggest property sector.”
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