Blocked drain in Auckland: who do you call first?

Who do you call first for a blocked drain in Auckland?

For a blocked wastewater drain on your property, call Watercare first. Their faults page says to contact them before you contact a plumber, on (09) 442 2222, press 1. You can also report a fault through their online chat.

Watercare will check whether the cause is in the public pipe or in your private drain. If the public network is at fault, Watercare deals with it. If the problem is in your private drainage, Watercare says you will need a plumber or drainlayer. Take photos of what you can see before anyone arrives, because Watercare asks for them to help understand the problem.

Wastewater is the dirty water from toilets, showers, basins, the kitchen sink and the laundry. Watercare says that if grey or dirty water is leaking or gushing from an unknown source, it is likely wastewater.

Is it a wastewater drain or a stormwater drain?

Work out which drain is blocked, because a different group looks after each one. Wastewater pipes carry used water from inside the house. Stormwater pipes carry rain from the roof, downpipes, driveways and yard sumps.

Auckland Council looks after public stormwater, such as street catchpits, grates, culverts and public pipes. Property owners look after private stormwater on their land, including catchpits, drains, spouting, gutters, pipes and rain tanks. If a public stormwater drain looks blocked or flooded, call Auckland Council on 09 301 0101.

The two systems should stay apart. Watercare says roof downpipes should connect to the stormwater network, not to the wastewater network, because rain in the wastewater pipes can overload them and cause overflows.

Where does your private drain end and the public drain begin?

Your private wastewater drain ends at the point of supply. Watercare sets this by where the legal property boundary is.

1. If the public pipe runs inside your boundary, the point of supply is the joint where your pipe meets Watercare’s pipe or manhole.

2. If the public pipe runs outside your boundary, the point of supply is where your pipe leaves your property. This can be on public land or a neighbour’s land.

Watercare also says manholes on private land remain its responsibility, so do not lift or work on a manhole yourself. For stormwater, Auckland Council says the boundary is where your private pipes connect to the public network, or where the connection crosses into a neighbour’s property or a reserve. You can see the public stormwater network on the council’s GeoMaps viewer.

How to check your gully trap

A gully trap is the grated outlet outside the house where waste pipes from the kitchen, bathroom or laundry drain into the underground sewer. Watercare says it has a water seal that stops smells and stops wastewater overflowing into your home if a pipe is blocked. That makes it the first place to look.

1. Find the gully trap. It is usually outside, close to the kitchen, laundry or bathroom.

2. Look at the grate. If water is sitting in it or spilling over the top, the blockage is likely further down the drain.

3. Run one tap inside for a short time. If the gully trap fills and overflows, stop and do not use more water.

4. Check whether every fixture is slow or just one. If only one basin or shower is slow, the blockage is more likely in that fixture’s own pipe.

5. Check the height and grate. Watercare says a gully trap should be raised off the ground and covered by a grate, so rain and debris cannot get into the wastewater network.

If wastewater has overflowed onto your property, Watercare asks you to report it.

Who pays to clear a blocked drain?

The property owner pays to clear a blockage in the private drain, and Watercare pays for faults in the public network. Watercare says it looks after the public wastewater network but needs you to maintain your private drainage.

Watercare’s contractors cannot repair the private network because of liability. Watercare also says it generally does not pay back money spent on a private plumber, though it looks at unusual cases one by one. This is one more reason to call Watercare first.

If you rent, tell your landlord or property manager straight away. If a private drain is shared with neighbours, talk to them early so the work can be planned together.

What causes most blockages, and how do you prevent them?

Most blockages come from things that should not be in the drain. Watercare says fat, rubbish and tree roots can clump together and restrict the flow.

Watercare gives three simple rules. Only flush toilet paper and human waste, and put wipes, nappies and hygiene products in the bin. Do not pour fats, oils or grease down the sink. Do not pour paint, pesticides, solvents, motor oil or other hazardous waste down the laundry tub.

Keeping your gully trap raised and covered also helps. It stops leaves, soil and rain getting into the system.

When to call a plumber or drainlayer

Call a plumber or drainlayer once Watercare confirms the blockage is in your private drain, or straight away for a blocked toilet or sink inside the house. Other signs that need a professional are a gully trap that keeps overflowing, a sewage smell, gurgling drains, or blockages that keep coming back.

A good drainlayer will clear the pipe and then find out why it blocked. A CCTV camera inspection shows cracks, root entry or sagging pipes, so you fix the cause instead of clearing the same blockage again. Auckland Council points people to the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board website to check that a plumber or drainlayer is registered.

Stately Plumbing has cleared, inspected and repaired drains across Auckland since 2012, including a complex drainage chamber install in Mount Albert. We can clear the blockage, run a camera through the line and show you what we found. Call 022 159 2013.