Parramatta facts behind a plumbing job
Apartments first
At the 2021 Census, 85.6% of the suburb's occupied homes were flats or apartments and 7.7% separate houses. 70.2% were rented, more than double the NSW figure of 32.6%.
City of Parramatta
The whole suburb is inside the City of Parramatta's council area, so its flood and drainage information applies.
Flash floods in hours
Council says the Parramatta CBD is the most flash flood affected major CBD in NSW, and that flash flooding happens in a matter of hours, with rapid rises in water level.
A river that spills
The City of Parramatta says the Parramatta River currently breaks its banks five times a year.
Your pipe or the building's?
NSW strata rules say that, in most cases, the lot owner looks after plumbing inside internal walls, fixtures such as baths, toilets, sinks and showers, and water damage that starts inside the unit. The owners corporation covers plumbing in boundary walls and under the floor, and damage that comes from common property. Your strata plan and by-laws can change this, so check them.
Below ground, private pipes serving the building belong to the owners, not Sydney Water. Sydney Water's part starts at its junction, and every owner who shares a joint private service is responsible for it.
Renovating in a strata building
A bathroom renovation is a major renovation under NSW strata law because of the waterproofing. It needs a special resolution at a general meeting, and fails if more than 25% of the value of votes cast are against it. A kitchen renovation, or installing or replacing a heat pump, is a minor renovation that needs approval at a strata meeting, or from the committee if a by-law allows. Tenants should ask the landlord in writing first.
Flash flooding and food businesses
Council says even small flash-flooding events can cause significant damage and disruption. Its FloodSmart Parramatta service gives real-time flood information.
Running a restaurant or takeaway in the centre? Sydney Water needs food businesses to have approval to discharge trade wastewater unless the process is a low-risk deemed one, and most must fit and maintain a grease trap. See commercial plumbing in Sydney.
What we would do
Unless water is pouring through a ceiling, ring your strata manager before you book anyone, and ask which side of the line the pipe sits on under your by-laws. If it is urgent, call a plumber, photograph everything and keep the plumber's written notes on the cause, since that decides who pays. We'll match you with a plumber who specialises in strata and apartment work.