Sewer blockages

What not to put down your sanitary drain

what not to flush

Some things do not belong in your sewer pipes

Every time someone flushes a toilet, rinses a plate, takes a shower or washes their clothes, the wastewater goes through the private sanitary pipes to the Council sewer mains. This connection between your sanitary drainage pipes and Council main could be either within the property or on land outside the property boundary.

All waste flows from your home to Bundaberg Regional Council Treatment Plants where it is treated. The purpose of sewage treatment is to remove suspended solids, organic matter, nutrients and disease-causing organisms, leaving effluent that is suitable for discharge back into the environment. The sorts of things you put down your sinks or flush down your toilet can have a major effect on the costs of treating the sewage and consequently, can make it far more expensive for your local Council. You can help to reduce this cost and protect the environment by keeping many of your household waste items that do not break down, out of the sewerage systems.

What not to put down your sanitary drainage pipes

Never flush nappies, flushable wipes, sanitary napkins, tampons, incontinence pads, bandages, cotton buds or condoms down the toilet. Such items commonly cause sewer blockages in your drainage line and can clog up the system at the treatment plants. All these items should be disposed of in the garbage.
Avoid putting cooking oil, fats or food scraps down the kitchen sink. Fats tend to solidify on cooling, which can lead to fat build-up in the pipes under your home and ultimately cause blockages that are costly to fix. Instead of pouring fats and oils down the sink, wipe your pots and pans with a paper towel and put the paper in the bin.
Pouring chemicals used for home and garden maintenance, such as paints and pesticides, down the sink or ORG (overflow relief gully) can corrode your pipes, damage the environment and poses a health threat to yourself and others. Bundaberg Regional Council Waste Management Facility provides the appropriate location for disposal of paints and other chemicals from your home.

Signs of a sewer blockage

Some signs of a sewer blockage include:

Toilets, basins, baths or tubs are slow to empty;
Toilets overflow or fill higher than usual;
Gully-traps or Overflow Relief Gully in the yard overflow when the toilet is flushed, when basins or baths are released;
Overflowing sewer access chambers (manholes); and
Gurgling noises in the sanitary drains.

Causes of a sewer blockage

Some causes of sewer blockage include:

The illegal connection of stormwater sumps or downpipes to the sewer causing them to overflow when it rains;
The connection between the private sewer and the sewer main is substandard;
Wastes that are not intended for the sewer, choking the system and leading to backflows of sewage within the property;
Tree roots entering through substandard drainage pipes, faulty joints or loose inspection openings;
Cracked sewer pipes that have been damaged by movement of the sub-soil, penetration of rocks, increases the risk of bad and leaking pipes or connections; and
Changes to the property by overloading the ground with retaining walls, building structures and vehicular traffic also can cause crush or flatten sewer pipes.

Places where sewer pipes can block

Places where sewer blockages can occur include:

In any part of the sanitary drain within the property;
In the point of connection (POC) where the sanitary drains connect to the Council inspection shaft line;
In the Council inspection shaft line (between the main and the POC);
In the Council sewer main and access chamber (manhole).

What to do if the sewer blocks

You need to check the water level in your sewer point of connection (POC), if you can get to it. Your connection point (POC) should be somewhere on the edge of your property either in the back or front yard. You will need to find the inspection shaft that will indicate your sewer point of connection (POC). This is a vertical pipe is set in a concrete surround with a bolted pvc lid. Remove the lid.
If the water level in the sewer connection point is high, please call Bundaberg Regional Council’s 24 hour emergency callout service on 1300 883 699.
If the water level is low, there is probably a blockage in your pipes, which means you will need to call a private plumber.

Who is responsible for maintaining my sewer lines?

The maintenance of private sanitary drainage lines is the sole responsibility of the property owner. Please refer to image below.

Property pipes responsibility graphic