My Bulimba unit has a leak. Who should I call?

If you rent, the property manager. If you own, start with the body corporate: the pipe may be on common property. For leak assistance on a shared main meter, Urban Utilities deals with the body corporate.

Does my older Bulimba house need an overflow relief gully?

Urban Utilities says homes built before 1976 may not have one unless renovated. A licensed plumber can tell you what's there and whether one should be fitted.

Plumbers in Bulimba: apartments, older homes and flood checks

Plumbers in Bulimba Units and old houses.

Bulimba mixes apartment blocks with houses, on streets whose history goes back to the 1870s. Urban Utilities owns the water and sewer network here, and in a unit block the pipes before its connection point may be shared. Say what's wrong and we'll match you with a licence-checked plumber who specialises in that kind of job.

Bulimba facts for plumbing

Brisbane City, Urban Utilities water

Bulimba falls wholly within Brisbane City Council's area. Urban Utilities lists it on the South East Queensland Water Supply Scheme in its 2024-25 report.

Almost four in ten are apartments

At the 2021 Census, 39.5% of the suburb's occupied homes were flats or apartments, against 12.5% across Queensland. 45.7% were separate houses and 14.7% townhouses or semis.

A rental-heavy mix

36.8% of homes were rented, 34.2% owned with a mortgage and 27.2% owned outright.

A long building history

Council's Bulimba Heritage Trail on Oxford Street includes Crouch's Cottage, built in the late 1870s, and a church built in 1888.

Living in an apartment

In a unit block, the sewer connection point can sit on common property, and the pipes up to it belong to the owners, not to Urban Utilities. The meter may be by your door or in a shared cabinet.

So a leak or blockage often starts with the body corporate. If a hidden leak shows up on a single main meter, Urban Utilities says the body corporate applies for leak assistance. Renters should go to the property manager first.

Older houses and the missing gully

Urban Utilities says houses built before 1976 may not have an overflow relief gully unless they've been renovated, and some have a disconnector gully or vent instead. Without one, a blocked sewer has fewer places to escape before it reaches the house.

If you're unsure what your house has, a plumber can check and fit one where needed; only a licensed plumber should install or alter it. Our gully guide explains the heights it needs.

Flood information for your address

Council's Flood Awareness Map lets you look up a property and download a FloodWise Property Report, which compares the January 2011 and February 2022 flood levels where they're available. Overland flow isn't drawn on its aerial map; it shows up as a development flag. We never state a property's flood risk, so use the report before you plan any work.

Checking a plumber? Search the QBCC registers through myQBCC, and see our licence check guide.

What we'd do in Bulimba

If you own an older house, find out whether it has an overflow relief gully. It's a small fitting that decides whether a sewer blockage ends up in the garden or the bathroom. In an apartment, check with the body corporate before booking anyone for a shared pipe. Then we'll match you with a licence-checked drain or leak specialist.