Merrylands facts that change a plumbing job
Cumberland City Council
Merrylands is in Cumberland City Council's area, with Merrylands West, Guildford and Granville.
A mixed suburb
At the 2021 Census, 48.8% of occupied homes were separate houses, 36.6% flats or apartments and 13.6% semis or townhouses. 47.0% were rented, and households averaged 3.0 people.
Your pipes, all the way
Council says sewer and stormwater pipes serving a property are the owner's, even where they run through public land, until they reach the main, gutter or pit.
Shared drains are private
Council says problems with private inter-allotment drainage are the property owners' responsibility, not Council's.
Water coming from the neighbour's yard
Check your own side
Make sure your gutters, downpipes and yard drains are clear, and watch where the water enters during rain.
Talk to the neighbour
Stormwater problems on private property are the owner's responsibility, so start there.
When Council steps in
Cumberland City Council investigates only where someone has changed the natural flow to another owner's detriment, for example by concentrating it or leaving private drainage defective.
Roots in the line
Cumberland City Council says roots generally don't enter well-maintained pipes. They get in where a pipe has deteriorated or its joint seals have failed, looking for water. A blocked sewer can also come from things put down the drain, a collapsed section, ground movement, debris or silt.
If the fix can't be done without substantially affecting a Council tree, tell Council before work starts. Otherwise the job is the pipe: see tree roots in drains and pipe relining in Sydney.
Flood-prone land
Overland flooding happens when intense rain sends more runoff than the pits and pipes can carry. Cumberland City Council must note flood prone properties on section 10.7 planning certificates, and being flood affected can bring conditions such as raised floor levels or flood resistant materials on new work. Check the certificate before planning an extension or a new bathroom downstairs.
Is the blockage yours or Sydney Water's?
Sydney Water's rule of thumb: if the overflow is beyond your boundary, the neighbours have the same problem, or it keeps flowing when nobody is using water, the fault is probably in its pipes. If only you're affected and it overflows when you run water, it's probably yours. Renting? Tell your landlord or agent first. More at blocked drains in Sydney.
What we'd do in Merrylands
If stormwater is crossing from next door, photograph it during rain and note where it enters your yard. Talk to your neighbour first, because Council only acts where the natural flow has been changed. If it's your own inter-allotment drain that's blocked, ask for it to be cleared and then inspected with a camera so you know its condition. We'll match you with a plumber who specialises in stormwater.