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Essential ongoing maintenance for our wastewater systems
Our wastewater systems handle billions of litres of water every year. We regularly check pipes for damage using CCTV. When we find cracked, collapsed or damaged sections, we may need to dig to repair them. We replace aged and damaged pipes, valves and maintenance holes to improve the wastewater systems in all areas of Greater Sydney.
Overview
Our wastewater systems include about 27,000 kilometres of pipes with diameters ranging from 100 mm to 900 mm. They also include structures like maintenance holes, lamp holes, junctions and reflux valves.
This large network of pipes and structures is underground – beneath roads, backyards and buildings. It's subjected to ground movement, root invasion and vibration, which take their toll. We regularly check the systems for damage using CCTV. When we find cracked, collapsed or damaged sections, we may need to dig to repair them.
Every year, we complete thousands of jobs to repair wastewater pipes throughout Sydney, the Illawarra and the Blue Mountains. These repairs keep our wastewater systems operating effectively and help protect the environment and public health.
Project stages
When our contractors work on private property, the first step is to prepare a home plan with the property owner or resident. This is a written agreement between our contractor and the property owner or resident that we put in place before any work starts.
The home plan outlines:
- what the work is
- how long the work should take
- how the work will be done
- which specific property details the owner or resident wants to be taken into account while the work is being done – for example, if we need to be aware of children or pets, or special garden features
- how the property will be restored.
After the home plan is done, the work usually takes a few days, though it may take longer if the job is more complex. The work involves:
- digging and excavating an area to expose the damaged wastewater pipe or structure
- replacing or repairing the damaged infrastructure
- restoring the site to its existing condition.
After we finish restoring the site, we ask the property owner or resident to sign the home plan to say that the work has been completed as agreed.