Subiaco facts that change the job
Apartments lead
At the 2021 Census, 41.7% of the suburb's occupied homes were flats or apartments, 38.8% separate houses and 19.3% townhouses, terraces or semis.
Small homes, many renters
18.4% had one bedroom and 45.0% were rented. 12.0% of private dwellings were empty on Census night.
Verge works need a permit
The City of Subiaco, on Hay Street, requires a permit before anyone obstructs a road, footpath or verge, including for excavation works and skip bins.
Perth's oldest treatment plant
Water Corporation's Subiaco Water Resource Recovery Facility in Shenton Park has run since 1927 and treats about 65 million litres of wastewater a day.
In an apartment or rental
In a block of units, start with the strata manager or owner: the leak may be in a pipe several apartments share, and someone has to let the plumber into the right places.
Tenants generally pay for the water they use but not for leaks. Water Corporation says the cost of leaks and repairs lies with the property owner unless the rental agreement says otherwise.
Digging in the verge
If a sewer or water repair means opening up the verge, the City needs 5 full business days to process an obstruction permit, or 10 if traffic management is involved. Apply before the work starts.
Trees complicate it. Verge trees are managed by the City, and its written approval is needed before anyone prunes, damages or removes one; without it you may be committing an offence. Raise any tree near the dig with the City at the same time.
The plant and your pipes
Water Corporation is planning an upgrade that would add around 23 million litres a day of capacity to support infill development. None of that changes your own pipes: clearing a blocked property connection, as far as the junction with Water Corporation's sewer, is the owner's cost.
The WA Online Licence Search lets you look up a plumber or gas fitter before they start. Then pick the Perth page for the job: blocked drains, leak detection, hot water, gas fitting or an emergency plumber.
What we would do
As soon as a plumber says the fix involves digging outside your boundary, apply for the City's permit; the lead time is the slow part. In a rental or strata block, tell the agent or strata manager first and get access arranged. Then we will put the job to a plumber who specialises in it, and only the plumber who takes it receives your phone and email.