Moonah facts for a plumbing job
A rivulet in pipes
Council's 2024 stormwater plan says the Springfield Catchment, about 448 ha in the Moonah area, is 98% developed, and most of its rivulet channel was piped during development. It drains east to the Derwent River.
Half homes, half business
The same plan describes the catchment as half general and inner residential and half local business area.
Pipes sized for a 1-in-20 storm
Council's flood FAQs say underground stormwater in Tasmania is typically designed for a 5% AEP event, about one in 20 years. A bigger storm can fill them.
Plenty of renters
At the 2021 Census, 39.0% of Moonah's occupied homes were rented, against 26.4% across Tasmania, and 27.2% were owned outright.
Water coming from next door
Seepage from a neighbouring private property is generally a civil matter between the two owners, so start with a conversation. If you think a cracked Council pipe or blocked public drain is to blame, report it and Council will investigate.
For complex drainage, Council suggests a licensed plumber or a civil engineer. Our stormwater page explains what a plumber looks at.
TasWater, leaks and your water bill
A leak on your property between TasWater's connection point and your house is yours to repair. One between the connection point and the main is TasWater's.
To test for a leak, TasWater suggests turning off every tap last thing at night, reading the meter, then reading it again in the morning before anyone uses water. If the leak was concealed, TasWater may rebate up to 50% of the water usage above your average bill, once per property while you own it, with written proof that a licensed plumber fixed it. TasWater decides. See hidden leaks.
Inspections on bigger jobs
For work that needs Council approval, inspections are booked with at least 1 working day's notice, once there's an authorised Start Work Notice. Typical points are before sewer or stormwater pipes are covered, after the hot and cold water pipes go in, at testing, and at completion.
Running a café or shop in Moonah? A business discharging trade waste to sewer needs TasWater's consent before it starts, and may need a grease arrestor. See commercial plumbing in Hobart.
What we would do
If your yard only floods in heavy storms, the street pipes may simply be full, since they're built for roughly a 1-in-20-year storm. Water that turns up in dry weather is a different problem and can mean a leak. Do TasWater's overnight meter test first, then book a leak detection specialist if the reading moved.