Sewer Relining and Maintenance

Our Sewer Relining and Maintenance Hole Rehabilitation Program 22/23 is currently underway across Brisbane, Ipswich and Lockyer Valley suburbs. 

Damaged sewer pipes and maintenance holes allow stormwater to enter the sewer network, which puts additional strain on our system. To ensure we avoid sewage overflows it is important we maintain the integrity of our network’s sewer pipes and maintenance structures.

These upgrade works will future proof our network’s reliability and ensure safe long-term service delivery to the community for the next 50 years.

What’s happening?
Sewer Relining:

Our delivery partner, Downer WSP and their sub-contractors, use innovative trenchless technology to inspect, clean and reline the sewer pipes. This eliminates the need to dig up and replace pipes.

These works take place over several inconsecutive visits, over an approximate eight-week period (subject to weather and site conditions). Each visit will be of short duration, and we’ll keep you updated as the work progresses.

The site visits will include:

  • Pre-cleaning activities and networks investigation.
  • Sewer relining and maintenance hole rehabilitation works, and
  • Post sewer relining and maintenance hole rehabilitation.
Maintenance Hole Rehabilitation:

Our delivery partner, Downer WSP and their sub-contractors, will undertake sewer maintenance hole rehabilitation to repair aged or damaged maintenance holes. Rehabilitation includes construction activities to clean and remove surface debris and coat the maintenance hole walls with a new protective coating. These works are generally of short duration, and we will notify you in advance.

In some instances, a complete maintenance hole rebuild is required and works may take place for up to eight weeks. You’ll receive information in advance of these works and as the project progresses.

What to expect

While every effort is made to minimise impacts to the community, you may experience:

  • Crews, trucks and equipment on the footpath and road. Safety barriers will be in place to keep everyone safe. Various trucks carrying special-purpose equipment will be used for cleaning and relining some tankering might be required to re-direct flow away from the work site.
  • Noise and dust from construction and machinery. We’ll minimise this where we can.
  • Some intermittent odours when maintenance hole lids are removed for tankering, or during ventilation to ensure the safety of crews working in confined spaces.
  • Changed traffic conditions including some lane and footpath closures. Traffic controllers will be on site to look after pedestrians and road users.
  • Safety lighting to assist with night works, where required.
  • Vegetation removal, including removal of selected trees under Council permit, may be required in some locations to access our sewer network. Any trees removed as part of these works will be replaced in approved areas after the upgrade is complete.
  • Tankering and bypass pumping, to temporarily redirect the flow of sewage. In some instances, heavy vehicle pumping trucks will be used to divert sewage away from the sewer pipe and discharged to another maintenance hole in the network.

There will be no interruption of sewerage services during these works.

Works location

Works will take place at sewer maintenance holes across Brisbane, Ipswich and Lockyer Valley suburbs. These maintenance holes allow access to the sewer network and are located in, but not limited to:

  • Private property.
  • Commercial property.
  • Critical customer property.
  • Roads and state-controlled roads.
  • Parklands, bushlands and creeks.

If you have a sewer maintenance hole on your property, we may need to enter your property to access this.

Please note, Urban Utilities and its authorised persons (including our delivery partners and their sub-contractors) can access private property to perform works on our assets under section 36 of the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008. We will not access your property until at least 14 days have elapsed from giving notice or we have been given permission to do so in lieu of this notice.

If special access arrangements need to be made due to a security gate or a dog in your yard, etc. please contact us on the phone number or email address provided on the notice.

We will work with you to find a suitable time to carry out the work.

Work hours

Most of the work will be completed during the day between 6.30am and 6.30pm, Monday to Saturday. In some areas, night works may be required to comply with approved traffic permits and due to lower flow conditions at night.

Our commitment

The project team will minimise construction impacts to the extent possible, including managing noise and dust at the source, utilising traffic control and reviewing work methods as required. We will keep directly impacted neighbours informed by providing regular construction updates during the works.

 

 

Urban Utilities is committed to excellence in water and sewerage services that enhance the liveability of our communities.  

As part of this commitment, our sewer relining and maintenance hole rehabilitation program is underway to improve network reliability in Brisbane and Ipswich.

Sewer pipes and maintenance holes are identified for relining and rehabilitation through an ongoing Sewer Inspection Program.

 

Sewer Cleaning and CCTV Inspections

The program uses, laser profiling and CCTV cameras to capture and monitor visual data and determine the networks condition. These inspections, identify sewer pipes that require upgrades, forming part of the Sewer Relining and Maintenance Hole Rehabilitation Program. 

 

Sewer relining

Sewer relining is a trenchless technique, used 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. 

 

Maintenance hole rehabilitation

The repair of aged or damaged maintenance holes. Rehabilitation will include cleaning and removing surface debris and coating the walls with a new protective coating.

 

Bypass Pumping and Tankering

At times, bypass pumping or tankering will be used to divert sewage flows from an upstream maintenance hole via a temporary above ground pipe or tanker truck to a maintenance hole further downstream. We will notify impacted customers prior to any of these activities taking place.

Customers near these locations may experience increased noise from vehicle movements and machinery during pumping activities. We will notify impacted customers prior to any of these activities taking place.



Our delivery partner, Downer WSP and their sub-contractors will carry out the following communication activities to ensure timely notification of works and associated activities.

What you can expect:

  • —Project factsheet distributed to local residents and business prior to the commencement of works, providing you with information on the location of works, what’s happening and what you can expect.
  • —We’ll undertake door knocking activities to speak with directly impacted residents. Should access to sewer maintenance holes located in private property be required, the project team will contact property owners in advance.
  • —If you are not home, you will receive a postcard in your mailbox notifying that we were unable to access your property. We will ask if you could please contact our contractor to arrange a suitable time to complete sewer inspection, cleaning and relining.
  • —Regular project updates will be distributed to notify residents of construction activities and project updates. Keep a look out in your letterbox for these updates.
  • —Consultation with customers when maintenance hole access is required within a private property to complete a Sewer Work Home Plan that will provide details of the work, impacts and restoration activities.
  • —We appreciate feedback on how we went, we will invite residents and businesses to complete a short survey following the completion of works.

Please note, Urban Utilities and its authorized persons (including our delivery partner and sub-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.


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.