Maribyrnong
Blocked, burst or leaking in Maribyrnong?
Blocked drains, burst pipes and leaks in Maribyrnong, from the river terraces to the old ordnance factory site by Highpoint, passed to a licensed plumber day and night.
Plumbing in Maribyrnong
River terraces below, a factory site above
Melbourne Water says parts of the township were built within the river's natural floodplain, and it has flooded several times. In the low riverside streets a backed up gully or sewer overflow after heavy rain may be the river rather than a private blockage, so river levels and backflow protection are checked before the line is cleared.
The older houses stand on the once flood-prone alluvial terraces in the bend of the river. Soft silts and clays move as they wet and dry, so drains there are prone to sagging and cracked joints, and a camera goes in before any digging.
Melbourne Water also notes that much of the area developed after World War II, because of its industry. Postwar homes likely drain through earthenware with mortar or rubber ring joints, and their copper water service is now several decades old.
Jobs in Maribyrnong
Silt, sagging joints and floodwater
Blocked drains
Sagging earthenware drains in the soft ground of the river terraces.
CCTV drain inspection
A camera to find a sag or a cracked collar before a trench is opened in silt.
Gutters and downpipes
Street face gutters and downpipes in the War Service Homes Heritage Area, matched to the original profile.
What it costs: hot water replacement cost, gutter replacement cost, toilet installation cost
Maribyrnong questions
Ordnance site estates and war service bungalows
Who agrees to drain work on the former ordnance factory estate?
Sometimes an owners corporation. The factory site was destined for housing development and now shares raised ground with Highpoint, above the river streets. Its drains are recent PVC, but some lots sit in owners corporations with shared private pipes, so consent may be needed first.
Do gutters on a war service bungalow need a permit to replace?
They may. The War Service Homes Heritage Area is the city's best example of a war service estate, with weatherboard bungalows and villas from after the First World War. Gutters, downpipes and other plumbing on the street face fall under the overlay, so a permit is checked before a different profile goes up.
What should be checked after a flood reaches the house?
Silt in the stormwater pipes and pits, and whether the overflow relief gully still works. Floodwater leaves sediment that slows a drain long after the water has gone.
