Mirrabooka facts that matter
Houses, three in ten rented
In the suburb of Mirrabooka, 85.5% of occupied homes were separate houses at the 2021 Census and 13.5% townhouses or semis. 30.3% were rented.
Two owners of drains
The City of Stirling names Mirrabooka among its major shopping precincts and maintains local stormwater. Main drain networks and sewerage in the City are Water Corporation's.
Old industrial connections
Some industrial lots in Mirrabooka, Osborne Park, Balcatta and Herdsman were once piped into the City's drains. That's no longer supported: when such a site is redeveloped and soakage works, runoff must stay on site in soak wells.
Verge permit before you build
Stirling needs a verge permit for any building or demolition work next to a verge, with inspections before and after and a refundable bond. Verges carry power, water, gas and communications.
What blocks a sewer
Water Corporation says fats, oils and grease are behind 30% of its wastewater blockages. Its pipes are built for pee, poo and toilet paper only, and wipes labelled flushable don't break down as readily as toilet paper.
When a line does block, the owner's share runs from the overflow relief gully and house drain to the junction on Water Corporation's main. If the fault is in the main, Water Corporation's crew clears it and pays the plumber a standard fee for finding it.
Before anyone starts
Check the licence. A WA plumbing contractor must print its licence number on ads, quotes and invoices, and Building and Energy's WA Online Licence Search confirms it. Knowingly engaging an unlicensed person for plumbing work is an offence.
For a blocked sink or toilet, see blocked drains in Perth; for a burst pipe, an emergency plumber in Perth; for a shop or business, commercial plumbing in Perth.
What we would do
Scrape fats into the bin, not the sink, and keep wipes out of the toilet. If the kitchen drain blocks anyway, look at the overflow relief gully first: Water Corporation wants its grate loose and clear so it can pop off if there's an overflow. Then we'll match you with a drain specialist.