My soakwells overflow every winter. Should I add more?

Not before checking the soil. Soakwells empty by letting water soak into sand around them. On clay or where groundwater is high, the City's standard is a sealed tank that drains slowly to its system instead.

Can my stormwater go into the City's drain?

With approval, when on-site disposal isn't suitable. The City weighs soil conditions, actual groundwater levels and lot size, and builders must ask it about a connection for each development.

Plumbers in Gosnells: soakwells, sealed tanks and street trees

Plumbers in Gosnells Sand or clay changes the job.

In Gosnells, the way a lot gets rid of stormwater depends on its soil, and the City of Gosnells approves the drainage on every development, down to an addition on a house lot. Tell us about the job and we'll match it with a licence-checked plumber who specialises in drainage, sewer or whatever else is wrong.

Gosnells facts behind a plumbing job

Houses, and a third rented

80.9% of the suburb's occupied homes were separate houses at the 2021 Census, and 15.7% townhouses or semis. 31.3% were rented, above the WA figure of 27.3%.

Soil decides the system

On sandy sites, soakwells may do, with at least 0.5m between the soakwell base and the highest groundwater or a clay layer. Clayey or silty sites, or high groundwater, need sealed tanks that drain slowly to the City's system through a restricted outlet.

A silt pit inside the boundary

Many lots have a silt pit, or lot connection pit, usually just inside the boundary. It traps silt and debris before stormwater reaches the City's drains, and on clay it also meters the flow out.

Black poly and tree roots

The City discourages black poly pipe for verge reticulation because its joints encourage roots through leakage, and it takes no responsibility for retic damaged by street tree roots.

Building, extending or paving

The City must approve a stormwater drainage plan for additions as well as new homes, and the method rests on a geotechnical report. It explains why so many soakwells are now asked for: the street drains were laid for the original zoning and built to collect rain off the road only, so as density rises, owners and builders must provide the extra drainage inside each lot.

If a drainage easement crosses your land, it protects a council pipe and keeps room to maintain it. Easement details are on your property title, so check it before digging or building nearby.

Verges, street trees and the sewer

Water, phone, gas, sewer and electricity services all reach homes through the verge, which is why the City advises against planting your own verge tree. If you do, it's at your risk, and any services it damages may become your problem. Think a City street tree is damaging your property? Tell the City, which will inspect; residents may not prune or remove street trees.

Under Water Corporation's rule, the owner pays to clear blockages in the property's own sewer connection, up to the junction with its main. Water Corporation also warns that roots can creep into wastewater pipes through cracks, and that whole sections then often need replacing. See blocked drains in Perth and pipe relining in Perth.

What we would do

Planning an addition or more paving? Ask the City what stormwater design it wants before the builder pours anything, because additions need an approved drainage plan too. If your yard already ponds after rain, have a stormwater specialist work out whether the soakwells, the silt pit or a blocked pipe is the cause before anyone adds another soakwell.