Backflow: does your property need a device?
Backflow is water running the wrong way, from a property back into the city main, for example when pressure in the main suddenly drops. Every property with a water connection bigger than 20mm, usually a business or a unit block, must have a backflow prevention device.
Council's water policy makes the property owner responsible for having the device installed and working, and owners must be able to produce test results. A licensed plumber with backflow prevention accreditation can work out which device your site needs. If there's more than one meter, each one needs a device. See backflow testing.
What makes Orange different
Frosty winters
Orange Agricultural Institute averages 61.6 days a year at or below 2°C and 23.5 at or below 0°C (1976 to 2026). Its July mean minimum is 1.6°C.
Water from dams, a river pipeline and the streets
Council draws raw water from the Suma Park, Spring Creek and Gosling Creek dams, the Macquarie River to Orange pipeline, and two stormwater harvesting schemes. The Blackmans Swamp Creek scheme, opened in August 2009, was Australia's first large scale indirect-to-potable stormwater harvesting project.
Houses, a third rented
At the 2021 Census, 86.3% of occupied homes in Orange City Council's area were separate houses, and 32.6% were rented, the same as the NSW figure.
An Orange winter checklist
- Wrap exposed pipes on outside walls and under raised floors.
- Make sure the stop tap turns before the cold sets in.
- Check that the outdoor hot water unit's pipes are lagged too.
- If a tap gives nothing on a frosty morning, leave it open and let it thaw slowly.
Sewer blockages
We haven't found an Orange City Council page that says where its sewer pipe ends and yours starts. If a blockage could be near the boundary, call Council before you pay a plumber to clear it. Our guide on who owns the sewer pipe shows how the line is drawn elsewhere.
NSW rules worth knowing
A contractor licence is needed for any plumbing, drainage or gas fitting work in NSW. The licensee's name and number have to appear in their advertising; search them on the NSW Public Register. Replacing hot water? NSW requires a temperature control device, and a heat pump switch may earn an Energy Savings Scheme discount through an accredited installer. Confirm the discount is on the quote. More: NSW, NSW hot water discounts.
Specialists by job: burst pipes, hot water, gas plumbing, blocked drains.
What we would do
If you own a shop, a block of units or anything with a big water connection, find out now whether your backflow device has been tested and where the records are. For a house, put an hour into lagging pipes in autumn. Either way, check the plumber's licence on the Public Register first.