Sewage overflowing?
Keep everyone, pets included, well away from it. Sydney Water asks people to report any wastewater overflow, on private land or in a public place, to its 24/7 faults line, which is listed on its website. Stop using water in the house until you know where the blockage is.
Burst water pipe
Turn off the meter tap
It's at the water meter, which Sydney Water maintains. Closing the tap stops supply to the whole property.
Work out which side it's on
Sydney Water may repair the pipe between its system and the meter, up to one metre inside your boundary. From there to the taps, the pipes are the owner's.
Kill power near the water
If water is reaching the hot water unit or any power point, switch off at the switchboard if it's safe to reach.
Call the plumber
Ask for the leak to be isolated so the rest of the house can have water back, with the full repair quoted separately.
Wollongong emergencies, by cause
Downpours
Bellambi averages 12.2 days a year with 25 mm or more of rain, and Sydney Water says stormwater can overload its wastewater network in heavy rain. An overflow during a storm may be Sydney Water's, not yours.
Cold snaps at Albion Park
Albion Park (Shellharbour Airport) averages 1.7 days a year at or below freezing. If a tap gives nothing on a frosty morning, Sydney Water's advice is to let pipes thaw as the day warms and never pour boiling water on them.
Emergencies in a strata building
With 18.5% of homes in flats or apartments, a burst or blockage can involve shared pipes. NSW says an owner can call a tradesperson in an emergency and may get the cost back from the owners corporation if the cause was its responsibility. Photograph the damage and get the plumber's written description.
What the rules allow in a hurry
NSW lets emergency plumbing start without a Notice of Work, so nobody has to wait for paperwork. Any inspection paperwork in the Illawarra goes to Building Commission NSW, and you get a copy of the Certificate of Compliance when the job is done.
The business contracting for the job still needs an NSW contractor licence, whatever the size of the fix, and NSW requires the licence number in its ads. Look it up on the NSW Public Register on your phone before agreeing to anything beyond making the place safe.
Usually fine until business hours
- A tap that drips, or a toilet cistern that runs: shut the stop tap beneath it.
- A single slow drain while every other fixture empties normally.
- Hot water that's merely lukewarm, with no leak.
What we would do
Know where your meter tap is and how to reach Sydney Water's faults line before you need either. In the moment, stop the water, keep clear of sewage and decide whose problem it is: Sydney Water for overflows and its side of the meter, a plumber for your pipes, and the strata manager too if you're in a unit. Let the plumber make it safe tonight and quote the permanent fix in daylight.