Lake Macquarie facts that shape plumbing
Not every home is on Hunter Water
Council's plumbing page mentions properties serviced by Hunter Water or by Flow Systems, and says it's up to the licensed plumber to lodge paperwork with the correct authority. Your water bill shows which one you deal with.
Four treatment works around the lake
Hunter Water's Belmont works serves the eastern side from Charlestown and Redhead down to Swansea, Toronto the western side from Teralba to Wangi Wangi, Dora Creek the Morisset and Cooranbong area, and Edgeworth suburbs such as Cardiff, Glendale and Speers Point.
Septic and pump-out systems need Council approval
Installing, altering or operating an onsite sewage management system needs Lake Macquarie City Council's approval. Owners of pump-out systems must hire their own contractor for regular pump-outs.
A city of houses
Across the council area at the 2021 Census, 85.2% of occupied homes were separate houses and just 4.4% flats. 37.1% were owned outright, well above the NSW figure of 31.5%, and 23.2% rented.
Who looks after which drain
| What they look after | |
|---|---|
| You | Gutters, downpipes and every other part of the stormwater system on your land, connected to a legal point of discharge |
| Lake Macquarie City Council | Smaller drains, basins, swales, creeks, roadside kerb and channel, and stormwater quality devices |
| Hunter Water | Large stormwater drains, plus its own sewer and water mains |
| Transport for NSW | Some stormwater assets along main roads and rail corridors |
Water from a neighbour's yard
Council says the area's topography means runoff can become a nuisance when it isn't managed properly. You aren't responsible for natural overland flow, but you are responsible for what your roof and paving send next door.
Council will only investigate structural damage after you've talked to the neighbour, tried mediation and documented the damage, and it won't act on ponding or soil and garden washing away. Shared inter-allotment drains are the job of the owners whose lots they serve. A plumber who specialises in stormwater can help work out whose pipe is failing.
Floods, the lake and trees
Council lists three kinds of flooding here: flash flooding when heavy rain overwhelms drains, rivers and creeks overflowing, and storm surge from the coast. Its Flood Report Tool and flood certificates show one property's risk: get them before new drainage goes in.
Planning to remove a tree whose roots are in your drain? A Tree Application may be needed before pruning or removing a native tree or Araucaria pine on private land, and nature strip trees are Council's. Our tree roots page explains the drain side.
What we would do
Find out who supplies your water and sewer before you book anything: Hunter Water, Flow Systems or your own septic system. It decides who you call when the main fails and where the plumber lodges the paperwork. Then match the job to the right owner using the table above, and only pay for the part that's yours.
Suburbs and services
Suburb pages cover Charlestown, Cardiff and Toronto. For the job itself, see blocked drains, hot water, septic systems or an emergency plumber. Only the plumber who takes your job gets your contact details.