Water supply: the City's part and yours
| Who is responsible | What it means for you | |
|---|---|---|
| Service pipe up to the meter | The City of Coffs Harbour | Only City staff may legally repair anything up to and including the meter. Report a leak there to the City. |
| The meter itself | Shared: the City repairs it, you protect it | Keep it clear of plants and clutter. If the City repairs damage to it, it can recover the cost from the owner. |
| Everything after the meter | The property owner | Leaks, taps, hot water and pipes in the house are a job for your plumber. |
Landscaping catches people out. If you raise the ground so there's less than 200mm between the soil and the underside of the meter, the meter must be raised. Talk to the City before the garden bed goes in.
The white cap on your sewer pipe
The pipe from your house to the City's sewer main has an inspection opening (IO) with a white plastic cover about the size of a bread and butter plate. The City asks you not to break it, remove it or drive over it with a car or mower. A plumber clearing a blockage will look for it first.
Downpipes and other stormwater must never run into the sewer. The City says owners with illegal connections must fix them at their own cost.
What the Coffs climate does to drains
Flash floods
The City describes steep, small catchments with high rainfall intensity: flooding that can peak within six hours of the rain. There are 16 major coastal creeks. On 5 November 2009, more than 500mm fell within 48 hours.
Downpours, rarely frost
The Coffs Harbour MO station averaged 1699.0 mm of rain a year from 1943 to 2015, with a wettest day of 404.6 mm, but only 3.8 days a year at or below 2°C.
Who lives here
At the 2021 Census, 75.7% of occupied homes in the City of Coffs Harbour's area were separate houses and 10.3% flats or apartments. 29.4% were rented.
NSW rules on every job
NSW requires a contractor licence for all specialist work regardless of its cost, and plumbing, drainage and gasfitting all count. The Public Register shows the categories the licence covers and whether it is current. Outside metropolitan areas, the plumber's notices go to the local council regulator, and a Certificate of Compliance follows the work. See our NSW page and compliance certificates.
Going solar or heat pump? The Energy Savings Scheme can lower the price through accredited installers, with a minimum payment from you. STCs can lower it too, while the scheme runs to 2030.
Find your specialist
Stormwater and blocked drains are the wet-season calls. For leaks after the meter, see leak detection; for anything urgent, an emergency plumber; for tanks, rainwater tanks.
What we would do
Walk your block on a dry day: find the meter and the sewer IO, clear anything piled on them, and check that no downpipe drains into a sewer gully. When the next big storm comes through, you'll know where to look. A leak before the meter is the City's to fix; after it, call a plumber.