Goulburn Valley Water's part and yours
Goulburn Valley Water (GVW) supplies Shepparton's water and runs its sewers. The state's water accounts list a Shepparton supply system, and GVW tests Shepparton's water every month.
For sewers, GVW says it is generally responsible from its main to the first inspection shaft, or to one metre from your boundary, whichever is less. The drains on the house side of that point belong to the owner.
For water, the meter is the dividing line. GVW maintains the service pipe from its main to the meter, or to the boundary stop valve where there's no meter there. Anything on your side of it is your job.
If the sewer backs up
Ring GVW's faults team first
GVW asks anyone who suspects a sewer blockage to call its 24-hour faults and emergencies line. Its operators help work out whether the problem sits in your plumbing or in GVW's assets.
Book a plumber if it's yours
A blockage in your own pipes needs a licensed plumber, at your cost. See blocked drains for what usually causes them.
Keep the invoice
If the plumber finds the blockage in GVW's section, GVW says it reimburses reasonable costs of finding and clearing it. Limits apply, so ask GVW for its sewer blockages fact sheet.
Shepparton facts that shape a job
Mostly houses, many renters
At the 2021 Census, 84.9% of occupied homes in the suburb of Shepparton were separate houses and just 0.4% flats. 37.4% were rented, well above Victoria's 28.5%.
Soft by GVW's own measure
GVW's 2025-26 report found 23 to 42 mg/L of hardness across 12 monthly Shepparton samples, far below the 200 mg/L guideline. GVW notes hard water scales hot water services, but calls its own supply generally soft.
Drains built for gentler rain
Greater Shepparton City Council runs about 448 km of drainage pipes and says they weren't designed for sudden heavy downpours. In intense storms, water can take three to four hours to drain away, sometimes up to 10.
Septic on the fringe
Council's April 2025 plan says Shepparton itself is sewered, but estimates around 7,000 septic tanks across the municipality, in places like Shepparton East, Kialla West, Congupna and Toolamba. Installing or altering one needs a council permit before work begins.
Gas hot water from 2027
Victoria's gas hot water rule starts on 1 March 2027. When a gas system in an existing home wears out, the replacement has to be an efficient electric type, such as a heat pump. A gas unit that still works can stay, and repairs are still allowed.
We haven't found the regulation itself, so check current rules before buying. With so many Shepparton homes rented, note that landlords face a separate standard from the same date; our 2027 rule explainer covers both.
Checking the plumber
Victorian plumbers are registered or licensed for each class of work through the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC). Only a licensed plumber can issue a compliance certificate, so ask who will sign the job off. Our licence guide walks through the check.
Start with the page for your problem: septic systems, stormwater, hot water or burst pipes. State-wide rules are on the Victoria page.
What we would do
Before anyone digs, find your inspection shaft, and if sewage is backing up, ring GVW. One phone call tells you whether the blockage is on GVW's side, and that answer decides who pays. If it turns out to be yours, a drain specialist with a camera can show you where and why before you agree to any repair.