Property owner’s responsibility

The lateral is the wastewater pipe from a private property to the public sewer main and is owned by the property owner. The property owner is responsible for maintaining, repairing the lateral and any associated costs. This includes the section in the legal road, and blockages caused by tree roots.

Council’s responsibility

Council is responsible for all maintenance and repairs to the public sewer main. If the damage to the lateral is caused by a tree on Council road reserve, we will clear the blockage the first time but subsequent faults are your responsibility. The Council has no legal obligation to meet the repair costs of a lateral, unless the Council caused the damage.

Utility company’s responsibility

If the damage to your lateral has been caused by a utility company, like a gas, electricity, or phone company, they are responsible for repairing the damage.

Lifespan of pipes

Wastewater pipes have a life of about 80 years. If the pipe is properly constructed and maintained, it’s designed to withstand normal tree root and traffic loadings. However, as pipes reach the end of their life, the pipe’s age is more likely to be the cause of any problems.

Signs of a problem

If the pipe is regularly getting blocked or there are signs of seepage, like wet patches appearing during dry weather, then your pipe needs repairing.

Find the problem

The team at Pipespec are  inspect the public sewer main. We’ll need to know the address and the area affected.

During our experiences in the plumbing industry for the past 30 years, we have located a need to help our client through the sometimes confusing labyrinth of council regulations.

Drainage plans are the regular culprits that hold consents up and with our up-to-date and practical knowledge, we can eliminate stress saving you time and money. Let the professionals at Plumbspec be your maintenance contractor of choice to observe and fix any problems with your Wellington Pipework. We will also help you with your Wellington Pipework Designs to ensure you a future free of drainage drama.