Do these first
Danger to life
In a cyclone, a flood or anything that threatens someone's safety, call 000 before anything else.
Shut off the water
Close the main stop valve. If you don't know where yours is, ask the plumber who comes to show you, and mark it.
Make the power safe
If water has reached power points or the switchboard, only switch off if you can do it standing somewhere dry.
Decide whose problem it is
A damaged main or sewer in the street goes to Power and Water. A council stormwater drain goes to City of Darwin. Anything inside your boundary needs a licensed plumber.
Darwin emergencies: what's local
Downpours
Darwin Airport averages 22.5 days a year with 25 mm of rain or more, and once recorded 367.6 mm in a single day. Gutters and downpipes full of leaves overflow quickly in that kind of rain.
Cyclones
City of Darwin says tropical cyclones can threaten the region. It sends damaged water and sewerage infrastructure to Power and Water's emergency hotline, and takes stormwater drain and tree calls once the all clear is given.
The verge is Council's
City of Darwin maintains the stormwater system under roads and verges. Planned work on council land needs a works permit, with at least five working days' notice.
What can wait for business hours
A dripping tap, a toilet that keeps refilling or a drain that's slow but still emptying can usually wait. Close the small valve under the fixture if there is one, and book an ordinary visit.
Water you can't stop, sewage inside the house, or no water at all are the jobs that can't wait.
After a storm or a cyclone
Once it's safe to go outside, clear gutters, downpipes and the grates around the house before the next downpour. If sewage comes up in the yard after heavy rain, the cause may be in the network rather than your pipes. Report it to Power and Water, and have a drain specialist check your side.
Our burst pipes page and stormwater guide cover the next steps for each kind of damage.
Licences still apply in a hurry
Under section 38 of the NT Act, plumbing work needs a licensed plumber and draining work a licensed drainer, whether it's an emergency or not. Ask for the licence number at the door.
If drains are dug up and replaced, the Building Regulations require the Director to be told before the work is covered. Get a written invoice that describes what was done.
What we would do
Before the wet season starts, find your main stop valve, clear the gutters and check that water runs away from the house. Save Power and Water's emergency number from your bill in your phone. When something breaks, stop the water first, then sort out whose it is: the street goes to Power and Water or Council, your side to a licensed plumber.