When a macerator saves thousands on granny flat sewerage

The cost of wastewater and sewerage connections for a granny flat can leave some people unexpectedly reeling. But depending on your property, there are ways to save including using a macerator to avoid costly backyard trenchwork. 

Why is granny flat sewerage sometimes overly expensive?

There are usually three types of wastewater removed from your residential property – stormwater which runs to drains and collection systems that must remain clean; greywater which runs into the sewerage system via narrow pipes, as it only contains small particles; and sewerage which has larger pipes for taking the wastewater containing the larger particles (eg: poo) along with the greywater to connect at the designated junction.

When it can get costly to install an extra toilet on your land, it could mean that the proposed toilet would be a long way from the sewer line, meaning costly digging and the laying of larger pipework. However, in these situations, there is often access to greywater waste that is much more conveniently located. And there’s no issue with tapping into the greywater outflow with sewerage contents, once the sizing issue is sorted, since it all ends up in the same system anyway.

What is a macerator?

Put simply, a macerator is a near-silent unit that grinds larger particles (eg: poo) into smaller particles. Once macerated, larger pipes are no longer needed and the sewerage can be connected to the nearest greywater outflow. Ask your architect or tradesperson for specific advice.

Macerators can be great for granny flats with models to handle 3 inputs (eg: studio ensuite) and more for self-contained granny flats. The macerator will pump the outflow up a hill or over a distance as well – so if you’re getting quotes on granny flat plumbing, the idea is definitely worth checking out.

See granny flat examples for more

Talk to us if you’re interested in a granny flat and want to know more about details like approvals and how to save with clever ideas like macerators.