Gymea by the numbers
A three-way mix
In 2021, 44.7% of occupied homes in the suburb were separate houses, 22.8% semis, terraces or townhouses and 31.5% flats or apartments.
Even split on tenure
32.0% of Gymea homes were rented and 32.7% owned outright.
More townhouses than the Shire
Across Sutherland Shire, 13.9% of homes were townhouses, terraces or semis (NSW: 11.7%). Gymea's share is well above both.
Sutherland Shire
The ABS places all of Gymea in the Sutherland Shire council area.
Villas and townhouses: the shared line
In a townhouse or villa complex, the sewer from several homes can join one private line before it reaches Sydney Water's system. By Sydney Water's rule, every villa owner on that shared line answers for it jointly.
So a blockage in the common line is a shared problem, while one at your own fixtures is yours. A drain specialist with a camera can tell which it is.
From the shared line to the main
The private system stops at the point of connection to Sydney Water's network, and that point sits on the owner's side. Sydney Water owns the junction. If the blockage is in its pipe and the plumber reports it, you can claim reasonable costs for up to 2 hours of work.
Roots that have got into the junction at the point of connection are for the property owner to clear.
Houses and units
Gymea houses face the usual root and blockage questions: see tree roots in drains and blocked drains in Sydney. In a unit with water coming from above, start with leak detection in Sydney. We'll put you onto a licence-checked drain or leak specialist for the job.
What we would do
If you own in a Gymea complex, get a copy of the strata or community plan before you need it and find where the shared sewer line runs. When something blocks, tell the plumber which homes are affected. One home blocked points to your own pipes; several at once points to the shared line, which is a job for the owners together.