Wastewater blockages

You may have a blockage if:

• your sinks, bath or toilet empty slowly.
• your toilet isn't flushing properly or has overflowed.
• your toilet or floor drain makes gurgling noises.
• wastewater has overflowed from the drain or gully near your outside tap.

If you notice these signs, investigate the issue and take action.

All great dramas have their villain. In this case, it hides in your bathroom, kitchen and laundry. While it may make a clean getaway from toilets, sinks and drains, it remains in your pipes – a threat to you, the community and the environment.

Be vigilant

When it comes to your toilet, only flush the 3 Ps:

• pee
• poo
• toilet paper.

When it comes to your sinks and drains, only pour:

• water
• detergent
• soap.

Wastewater blockages have many causes. They include unflushable items in toilets, fats, oils and grease poured into sinks, tree roots, and even stormwater overloading our wastewater network during heavy rain.

If the blocked pipes are on your property, you could be looking at a costly plumbing bill. Plus, wastewater blockages can create greater problems for you, the community and the environment.

Blockages from unflushable items cause wastewater overflows. They're a health and environmental nightmare. Only flush the 3 Ps: pee, poo and toilet paper. Everything else? Put it in the bin.

• Non-flushable wet wipes contribute to 75% of wastewater blockages.
  
• Paper towels are designed for durability. They don't break down like toilet paper, and shouldn't be flushed.
• Hair doesn't dissolve in water. It floats, and snags easily on other unflushables.
• Tissues don't break down easily in water. When they're flushed, they build up.
• Cotton buds are made of materials that don't break down.

Never pour fats, oils and grease down the drain. They cool and harden in wastewater pipes. They also combine with unflushable toilet waste to create fatbergs.

• Use strainers in kitchen sinks to prevent food waste getting into the pipes. Collect food scraps for compost or put them in the garbage bin. Some councils offer Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collections that let you add food waste to green bins along with garden waste.
• Put oily products like excess cooking oil and unused milk in sealed containers and put them in the garbage bin.
• You can also recycle cooking oil and motor oil at local Community Recycling Centres. They accept containers holding up to 20 litres.

Tree roots can enter small cracks in wastewater pipes to seek out nutrients. They continue to grow, taking up space and slowing drainage. This can cause a blockage.

Before planting trees on your property, know where your pipes are. Get a sewerage service diagram online at Sydney Water Tap in® so you can avoid planting trees within 6 metres of wastewater pipes. Some trees are more likely to cause problems to wastewater pipes. Your local nursery can advise on trees and their root systems.

If existing trees are a problem, a plumber can set up a regular maintenance plan for you.

Responsibility for fixing wastewater blockages and repairing pipes depends on where the fault is. If you've hired a licensed plumber and they find the problem on your property was caused by our network, you may be eligible to ask for reimburse­ment. You can make a claim yourself, or your licensed plumber can make a claim for you.

We're responsible for the wastewater pipes that form our network. The blockage is probably in our pipes if:

• the overflow is visible beyond your property boundary, such as from a maintenance hole located on public land
• your neighbours are experiencing the same problem
• there's widespread flooding in your local area
• you're experiencing a continuous overflow and you're not currently using water on your property.

You can make a claim for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses if you've paid a licensed plumber who found a blockage in our wastewater pipes. The plumber must report the blockage to us, and you must include the job number they receive when you lodge your claim.

Before you make a claim, make sure:

• the plumber calls us on 13 20 90 and gives you the job number
• you have all invoices and supporting documentation ready to attach
• you provide a timesheet or excavation details if these are not shown on the invoice.

A licensed plumber can also make a claim if they incur costs investigating a wastewater blockage that turns out to be in our pipes and you haven't paid them yet.

We'll arrange a clean-up and carry out any repairs required to stop the overflow. You'll have your own Customer Advocate to case-manage your complaint and support you through the insurance process. They'll also advise what they can do if you're not insured.

You are responsible for wastewater pipes from your property up to where they connect to the wastewater pipes that form our network. You'll need to contact a licensed plumber to clear the blockage.

The blockage is probably in your private pipes if:

• your neighbours aren't experiencing a blockage
• your drainage isn't shared with other properties
• there's no flooding in your local area
• you only experience an overflow when using water on your property.

Refer to typical system connections to help you work out where your responsibilities end and ours begin.

We may repair private collapsed wastewater pipes under a public footpath or road. This free service is available to residential customers when a licensed plumber confirms excavation is the only way to repair the damage.

To find out more, read our Customer Contract or Collapsed Private Services in Public Land Program: Guide for customers.