What to do when you encounter a problem
Muswellbrook Shire Council maintains and repairs the treatment plants, pipes and pumping stations that supply water to and take sewage from households in the urban areas of the shire. In order to provide a speedy and efficient maintenance service to customers, Council often relies on reports from residents regarding problems with water and sewer services. If you notice a break or leak in our mains please phone 6549 3700. You can also play your part by maintaining your own property’s water and sewer services, and ensuring that the installation and any modifications to your private service are carried out in accordance with regulations.
Figure 1: Typical arrangement of water and sewer services to households within Muswellbrook Shire. A) Water service, B) Water main, C) Sewer inspection shaft and D) Sewer main.
Please note that depending on the slope of the land and other areas to be served, the Council sewer main can be located in the road reserve as depicted, in the front yard, in the back yard, in the back neighbour’s back yard, or along the side boundary.
Your Water Service
Signs
Signs of a water leak include:
- Greener patches of lawn near pipe route
- Water draining off lawn into gutter
- Waterlogged ground, or persistent puddles
- Bulging road or footpath over water main route
- Spray, fountains or geysers appearing!
Causes
Causes of water leaks include:
- Wear and tear due to age and material of water services and mains
- Water hammer in ageing pipes
- Crushed or flattened pipes that have been damaged by movement of the sub-soil, penetration of rocks or by overloading the ground with retaining walls, building structures and vehicular traffic
- Improperly laid pipes or subsidence in the earth, which may cause the pipes to deform
- Accidental damage to or vandalism of the property’s water service
Where water leaks can occur
Water leaks can occur:
- Between the house connection and the meter
- On the stop valve, meter and backflow assembly
- On the service connection into Council’s water main
- On joints and fittings on the Council water main
- Council owns and is responsible for water mains and the service that runs from the main up to and including your water meter. If you discover a leak or damage to these, please report them on 02 6549 3700, 24 hours.
- Rural residential/non-potable services will generally have a relatively long service pipe, with the meter located close to the take off point for the service at the main. If you are a property owner in this situation you are responsible for the service from the meter at this point to your property.
- Please ensure your water meter is accessible to Council staff for maintenance and readings.
- The backflow prevention device, pipe and taps from the meter to your house are your responsibility. If they are damaged you will need to contact a plumber to have them repaired in accordance with regulations.
- If you remove the water meter or damage it, you will be charged the cost of the repair or replacement and labour by Council staff.
|
|
|
Water meter |
Please ensure water meters, hydrants and stop valve covers on your property are clearly visible and easily accessible at all times. Please do not bury them, disguise them or build a wall or fence near them. Your assistance in keeping these areas clear will save valuable time when Council is repairing or maintaining your water services, or when they are used to fight fires.
Your Sewer Service
Signs
Signs of a sewer blockage include:
- Toilets, basins, baths or tubs are slow to empty
- Toilets overflow or fill higher than usual
- Gully-traps in the yard overflow when the toilet is flushed, when basins or baths are released
- Overflowing sewer access pits (manholes) in the verge or backyard
- Gurgling noises in the sanitary drains.
Causes
Causes of a sewer blockage include:
- Rubbish, children’s toys, tennis balls, nappies, clothing, sanitary pads, fat, loam, sand and other wastes that are not intended for the sewer.
- Tree roots entering the sewer drain pipes through cracks, faulty joints or loose inspection openings. Guide to planting trees and shrubs near sewerage drains.
- Crushed or flattened pipes that have been damaged by movement of the sub-soil, penetration of rocks or by overloading the ground with retaining walls, building structures and vehicular traffic
- Improperly laid pipes or subsidence in the earth, which causes the pipes to hold water or even fall in the wrong direction
- The illegal connection of stormwater sumps or downpipes to the sewer causing them to overflow when it rains.
Where sewer drains can block
Sewer drains can block:
- In any part of the sanitary drain within the property
- In the tie where the sanitary drains connect to the MSC branch line
- In the MSC branch line (between the main and the tie)
- In the MSC sewer main or access pit (manhole)
Blockages may also occur in vents (from bird’s nests or from physical damage).
Council owns and accepts responsibility for the maintenance of the sewer pipe work from the sewer main up to the tie collar. Council staff may have to access your inspection shaft / riser in order to clear blockages in Council mains. In the event that your sewer service is damaged by Council staff during this process we will repair as necessary at no cost to you. There are several different sewer service arrangements for properties within the Muswellbrook Shire area:
| Shallow sewer tie | Deep Sewer Tie | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
See notes regarding boundary conditions on the shallow sewer tie illustration. |
||||||||
| Multiple risers to deep sewer tie | Direct connection to access chamber | ||||||||
See notes regarding boundary conditions on the shallow sewer tie illustration. |
See notes regarding boundary conditions on the shallow sewer tie illustration. |
||||||||
| Boundary trap arrangement | |||||||||
In areas with sewer service connections that are ‘boundary traps’, a U-shaped bend in the service pipe traps sewer
See notes regarding boundary conditions on the shallow sewer tie illustration. |
|||||||||
- Council owns and is responsible for sewer mains, manholes, pumping stations, and the branch line that runs from the sewer main to the tie collar. If you discover a leak or damage to these, please report it on 02 6549 3700.
- It is the property owners responsibility to maintain the sewer piping from the house including the inspection shaft / riser, particularly to maintain the inspection shaft cover in a water tight condition.
- Both plumbers and Council staff may require access to the inspection shaft to carry out maintenance and repairs, it is your responsibility to ensure it is not buried or broken.
- It is illegal for your storm water drainage to enter the sewer system. Check your down pipes and drains to ensure they’re connected to storm water and that your external sewer fittings (e.g. shaft cover) do not allow surface stormwater in.
- During rain periods, flows in the sewer system may dramatically increase due to ingress of stormwater, this is the difference between a ‘dry weather’ flow and ‘wet weather’ flow. During floods or severe storms, overflows from the sewer system can occur. Council takes this issue very seriously and works hard to minimise the incidence and any impact of this, however in the absence of proven negligence, Council are not liable for damage that may result from this type of occurrence.
|
|
This page last updated 16 February, 2012 12:10 PM
