Project overview
What are the benefits of sewer relining and maintenance hole rehabilitation?
Maintaining the integrity of our network’s sewer pipes and maintenance structures is important to managing sewage flows, including infiltration and inflow, especially during periods of heavy rain fall, helping us to protect the health of the community and the environment.
Sewer relining uses a trenchless technique to repair aging and damaged sewer pipes. This technique avoids the need to dig up and repair or replace sewer pipes, minimising construction and service impacts to the community. These upgrade works will future proof our networks reliability and ensure safe long-term service delivery to the community for the next 50 years.
What is sewage?
Sewage is the wastewater that goes down the kitchen, laundry and bathroom sink and what you flush down the toilet. Stormwater inflow and groundwater infiltration also enters our wastewater network.
What is infiltration?
Infiltration refers to groundwater entering underground wastewater network via cracks and faulty joints.
What is inflow?
Inflow refers to stormwater entering the wastewater network via defective or illegal plumbing.
Construction activity
How are the works carried out?
Works will take place over several visits, during an approximate -eight-week period. These visits will be of short duration and we’ll keep you updated as the work progresses.
The site visits will include:
- Pre-cleaning activities and investigation
- Sewer relining and maintenance hole rehabilitation works, and
- Post sewer relining and maintenance hole rehabilitation surveys.
Residents and business will be informed of upcoming works and any property access requirements two weeks in advance of works starting.
I have been notified of works in my area, do I need to do anything?
If you have a sewer maintenance hole on your property, we might need to enter your property to access the sewer pipe in order to complete associated works. Our contractor will contact you if private property access is required.
When private property access is not required, and work is being completed on public roads, footpaths and nature strips, you may notice increased activity from construction vehicles and machinery. Traffic controllers will manage traffic flow and maintain local access.
Can I use my water during the works?
Yes, this work will not affect your service. Due to a small risk of back pressure occurring in household toilets, we recommend closing toilet lids and placing a heavy object on top, during these works. We also recommend that customers limit the use of showers, washing machines and pool back washing equipment while work is underway.
What time will works start and finish?
You will be notified when you can expect works to start and finish in your area. However, most of the work will take place during the day, between 6:30am and 6:30pm, Monday to Saturday. In some situations, we may need to carry out works at night between 7pm and 5am.
I have a maintenance hole located on my property, will access be required?
An authorised person, will knock on your door 14 days prior to works and request permission to enter your property to inspect the maintenance hole. They will carry identification and an authorised person card issued by Urban Utilities.
Please note, Urban Utilities and its authorised persons (including our contractors) are able to access private property to perform works on our assets under section 36 of the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008. Urban Utilities will not access your property until at least 14 days have elapsed from giving this notice or we have been given permission to do so in lieu of this notice.
Sewer overflows
What causes sewer pipe blockages and overflows?
Sewer pipes are only designed to remove sewage, toilet paper and wastewater from kitchen, bathroom and laundry drains. Blockages and overflows are typically caused by:
- fats or solids being washed down household pipes.
- wet wipes and other hygiene or sanitary products being flushed down toilets.
- tree roots entering and growing inside pipes.
- stormwater entering and overloading the sewerage network.
Find out what you can do around your house to help prevent blockages and overflows.
What’s Urban Utilities doing to manage overflows?
We have a range of programs to help reduce wet weather overflows by:
- Prioritising network upgrades in low-lying areas where wet weather overflows occur most often.
- Providing ongoing maintenance, including CCTV inspections and regular cleaning, to identify cracks and clear blocked sewer pipes.
- Utilising innovative technologies and remote-controlled robots to access and inspect the sewer system.
- Conducting smoke testing to find where stormwater is entering the sewerage system and contributing to overflows.