Preventing sewer blockages

For information about pipes you are responsible for and the procedure you must follow to resolve a blockage, please read:

– Sewer blockages procedure

You may also find the information you need below:

Problems in the sewerage system generally occur within the pipes, stopping the flow of sewage away from your home.

Responsibility for the maintenance of this network of pipes is shared between the property owner and South Gippsland Water.

For customers connected to a pressure sewer system in the townships of Alberton, Poowong, Loch and Nyora, refer to the Pressure Sewer System Homeowner Guide.

What is my responsibility?

The property owner is responsible for all of the fittings and pipes inside the property to the connection point with South Gippsland Water’s pipes. South Gippsland Water refers to this connection point as a ‘27A’ and generally this point will be near the property boundary.

Any pipes and fittings on the owner’s side of the South Gippsland Water connection point (27A), including the Boundary Trap (BT) and the Inspection Shaft (IS), are the responsibility of the property owner. This means any repairs, replacement or maintenance costs associated with these pipes and fittings are the responsibility of the property owner.

What happens if my pipes are not maintained?

If you don’t take precautions, your sewer may become blocked. The most common causes of sewer blockage include:

• Tree roots penetrating the pipe
• A build-up of oils and fats that have been put down the sink
• Foreign materials such as sanitary products and food scraps that have been flushed or put down the sink
• Damaged and broken pipes, allowing soil and pieces of the pipe to block the sewer

How can I maintain my pipes?

The best maintenance is prevention.

• When planting trees, always check with a nursery for advice on the most appropriate species for your circumstances and planting location.
• Make sure you are disposing of your household waste appropriately.
• Do not pour oils, fats and food scraps down the sink or toilet.
• Do not dispose of sanitary products and cotton buds down the toilet.
• Regularly engage a plumber to check your sewer pipes and clean them if necessary.

What happens when a blockage occurs?

This will depend on the severity of the blockage. Some may only cause sinks to drain more slowly, others can cause sewage to spill from gully traps outside or even spill from the toilet or basin inside the house.

What should I do if I have a blockage?

You need to determine exactly where the problem is. Call a plumber to determine if the blockage is in your service line or is South Gippsland Water’s responsibility.

• If the blockage is in the Property Service Drain, the property owner is responsible.

If reimbursement to you or your plumber is sought, please refer to the Sewer blockages procedure.

What South Gippsland Water will not pay for:

• Clearing the customer’s pipes

• Works to find your inspection point or boundary trap

• Installation of inspection shaft

• Any works performed by the plumber not related to a South Gippsland Water area of responsibility

The property owner will pay for the cost of works where:

• The plumber didn’t refer the blockage to South Gippsland Water

• All work carried out by the plumber which relates to clearance and/or work on your sewer assets

• CCTV was used to determine a blockage location, unless agreed to by South Gippsland Water

• Costs including the use of general accessories (machine hire, for example)

• A high-pressure water jet cleaner was used

• Tree roots were cleared, or chemicals added to dissolve the blockage