Answer four questions to see who to call first and who usually pays: Urban Utilities, the council, the owner, the landlord or the body corporate. Owners, renters and strata.
The usual split in Ipswich. The exact boundary on one property depends on where its pipes run. Not sure what the problem is? Try the symptom checker
| Pipe | Usually responsible | Call |
|---|---|---|
| Sewer main, manholes and the connection to the main | Urban Utilities | Urban Utilities, 13 23 64 |
| House drain from the fixtures to the sewer connection, including the gully outside | The property owner | A licensed plumber (renters: the property manager) |
| Water main, the meter and the pipe up to it | Urban Utilities | Urban Utilities, 13 23 64 |
| Water pipes after the meter | The property owner | A licensed plumber (renters: the property manager) |
| Gutters, downpipes and the stormwater pipe out to the kerb | The property owner | A licensed plumber (renters: the property manager) |
| Kerb, road drains and the public stormwater network | Ipswich City Council | Ipswich City Council |
| Drains shared by several units, or under common property | Usually the body corporate | The body corporate manager |
Sewage coming out of a manhole or the ground in the street, or the same blockage at the neighbours’ places, points to the sewer main. The main is Urban Utilities’ to clear and pay for. Report it before you pay a plumber: if their crew finds the fault on your side of the connection, the private-pipe answer applies.
Who pays: Urban Utilities, if the fault is in the sewer main or its connection.
The water meter and the pipe from the main up to it belong to Urban Utilities, so a leak there is theirs to fix. Everything after the meter belongs to the property.
Who pays: Urban Utilities, for the meter and the pipe from the main to it.
Kerbs, road gullies and the stormwater pipes under the street are the council’s. A blocked road drain or a pit overflowing onto the street is theirs to clear. The pipe from your downpipes out to the kerb is the property’s.
Who pays: The council, for the kerb, road drains and the public stormwater network.
Inside the property boundary the pipes belong to the owner, up to where your line joins the sewer main (or the kerb, for stormwater). A licensed plumber clears or repairs it. If it keeps coming back, a camera inspection shows why before you pay for a second clear.
Who pays: You, as the owner. The pipes on your property up to the sewer connection, and everything after the water meter, are yours.
Under the RTA’s guidance the owner keeps the drains cleared and working when the cause is wear and tear, such as tree roots. Report it straight away and in writing. Your lease names a nominated repairer for emergencies.
Who pays: The owner, when it is wear and tear (tree roots, old or broken pipes, a worn toilet).
The RTA says a tenant may be responsible for removing what caused a blockage, and for the cost of removal and any damage, if they caused it (a toy down the drain is its example). Report it straight away anyway: waiting usually makes the damage, and the bill, bigger.
Who pays: You may be, if something you or your household put down the drain caused it.
In a unit or townhouse complex, the drains under common property and the lines shared by more than one lot are usually the body corporate’s to maintain. A pipe serving only your lot is usually yours (or your landlord’s). Your community management statement and by-laws settle it for your building.
Who pays: Usually the body corporate for pipes shared between lots or on common property; the lot owner for pipes that serve only their lot.
The owner, when the cause is wear and tear such as tree roots or an old, broken pipe. The tenant may have to pay for removing the blockage and any damage if they caused it, for example by putting something down the drain. Either way, report it to the property manager straight away.
Yes. The RTA lists a blocked or broken toilet as an emergency repair. If you cannot reach the property manager or the nominated repairer in a reasonable time, you can arrange the repair yourself up to four weeks’ rent and ask for the money back in writing, with the receipts.
Urban Utilities runs the sewer and water network in Ipswich: the sewer mains, manholes and the connection, and the water main and meter. The pipes on your side of the sewer connection, and after the water meter, belong to the property owner.
Ipswich City Council looks after the kerb, road drains and the public stormwater network. The gutters, downpipes and the stormwater pipe from the house out to the kerb belong to the property.
Usually the body corporate, for pipes under common property or shared by more than one lot. A pipe that serves only one lot is usually that lot owner’s. The community management statement and by-laws settle it for each building.
Send the problem and your suburb. A licensed local plumber who covers your area gets back to you, and renters can pass the details straight to their property manager.