Plumbers in Miranda Half units, half houses.

In an apartment: who fixes what

Most NSW strata schemes split plumbing by location. The lot owner usually looks after fixtures such as the toilet, sink and shower, the pipes inside internal walls, and water damage coming from inside their unit. The owners corporation usually covers pipes in boundary walls and under the floor.

In an emergency you can call a plumber yourself, and you may be able to get the cost back if the cause turns out to be the owners corporation's. Photos and the plumber's written description of the problem and the fix make that much easier. For hidden leaks, see leak detection in Sydney.

Renovating or swapping hot water in a unit

Strata approval depends on the job. Installing or replacing a heat pump is a minor renovation, which needs approval at a strata meeting or from the committee if a by-law allows. A bathroom renovation involves waterproofing, so it's a major renovation needing a special resolution. Cosmetic work that doesn't touch the structure or waterproofing needs no approval. See bathroom plumbing in Sydney.

Water hardness and your hot water

Hardness and dissolved salts are what cause scale in appliances. At about 57 mg/L, Greater Sydney's water is just inside Sydney Water's soft range, which is good news for a hot water system. Wherever you live, NSW requires a tempering valve when a water heater is replaced, so bathroom taps don't run too hot. More at hot water in Sydney.

In a house

Rain can catch the Shire out: the NSW SES says most areas get some flash flooding in heavy rain, and Sutherland Shire Council publishes flood prone land information for the Woronora River in its Shire Maps. On your own block, Sydney Water's 24/7 faults line can help work out whether a blockage is in your pipes or its own. See blocked drains in Sydney.