Glenorchy facts that shape a plumbing job
More units, more renters
At the 2021 Census, 15.3% of the suburb's occupied homes were flats or apartments, nearly three times Tasmania's 5.3%. 43.7% were rented, against 26.4% statewide.
Two rivulets through the centre
Humphreys Rivulet and Barossa Rivulet run through the city centre, and Council has a flood early warning system for the Glenorchy CBD and surrounding area.
New flood maps
In 2021 Council released updated flood maps for its whole urban area. It warns they are an estimate: a property not shown can still flood in a severe event.
One outlet per lot
Council says a lot generally has just one stormwater discharge point, and directing stormwater onto a neighbouring property is illegal.
Where TasWater stops and you start
TasWater is the state's one water and sewerage utility. On the sewer side, its responsibility ends at the connection point, usually the inspection opening, and the private service line from there to the house is yours. For water, its connection point is the meter, or the first valve closest to the property boundary.
For a sewer blockage, TasWater's advice is to call your plumber first. If the plumber finds the problem in TasWater's pipe, contact TasWater: a plumber needs its permission before working on its infrastructure, or the cost won't be accepted.
Your stormwater, Council's rules
Council maintains public stormwater mains, manholes and pits, and it also regulates private drainage. Owners must keep downpipes, gutters, private stormwater pipes and gully pits working. If roof water or subsoil drains aren't connected to the public system, Council may ask you to connect them.
Where a kerb outlet or public pipe isn't available, a soakage trench or a pump may be possible, but only with Council's approval.
Permits, backflow and licences
Council's permit guide sorts work into categories. Category 1 an owner can do without approval. Category 2A needs a licensed plumber; for 2B the plumber also notifies Council when finished. Category 3 can't start until Council issues a Certificate of Likely Compliance, and Category 4 also needs a Plumbing Permit, with staged inspections.
Properties with high-hazard installations need a backflow prevention device, tested every 12 months by a licensed plumber who sends the report to Council. Council keeps a register and sends reminders. In Tasmania, the business you hire also needs a contractor licence of the right class. Our licence check guide explains what to ask for.
What we would do
When water comes up through a gully or floor waste, work out first whether it's sewage or rainwater. Sewage points to the private sewer line or TasWater's, so have a drain specialist find the blockage and let them involve TasWater if it's on the street side. Rainwater pooling against the house points to gutters, downpipes or that one outlet your lot drains to.