Category Archives: Drain Repairs

Cross Connections and Watercare Compliance

We’ve found a drainage problem and need your help to fix it! 

Have you received a letter from Watercare stating the above?  Don’t panic! Please read through the following information first. Drainage NZ have developed affordable solutions which could save you thousands in separating your sewer and stormwater drainage (Cross Connections) . 

Your Watercare letter may look like the following letter one of our most recent clients have received. 

Sample:

Dear Owners,

Re: Private drainage investigation results for your
propertySite address: XXXYYY
REF: 123XXVV

Recently your private wastewater and stormwater drainage was inspected as part of a joint investigation programme between Auckland Council and Watercare to improve our stormwater and wastewater networks, and the water quality of Auckland’s streams and beaches.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Council is aware that this has affected many of our circumstances and understands this can place extra pressure on people, businesses and whānau. Council in good faith asks that at you seek to remedy the following drainage issue that has been identified.

This investigation has identified the following drainage issue on your property:

• A cracked, damaged, or unsealed pipe or inspection point.  

We carried out a smoke test and Drain CCTV in your area and found smoke coming from the ground directly above the (stormwater/wastewater) private pipe or inspection point. This means the (stormwater/wastewater) pipe or inspection point is likely to be in poor condition, for example, cracked, damaged, or unsealed. Please arrange to have this repaired. One of the ways to do this is to contact a registered plumber or drain layer to investigate and fix the issue.

Please find enclosed with this letter a copy of your private drainage inspection record for your property. We have also included a leaflet that explains why fixing your drainage issue is so important.

What do you need to do?

As a property owner, you are responsible for ensuring that stormwater from your property does not enter the wastewater network and that wastewater does not enter the stormwater system. You can find a registered plumber or drain layer at www.pgdb.co.nz.

Please email evidence that the necessary repair work has been completed or underway to proactivecompliance@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz by XX 2023. This could include the following information:

• record of works undertaken by your plumber/drainlayer; or

• photographs of the repair work with measurements.

We will continue to look for ways to help our customers negotiate these difficult times and if you have any concerns or queries, please don’t hesitate to contact me using the email detail above, we will do our very best to work with you.

We would like to thank you for doing your part to reduce overflows and improve the water quality of Auckland’s streams and beaches.

In these unprecedented times we hope you continue to prioritize your health and the health of those around you, stay healthy and safe.

Yours faithfully,
Watercare Agent
Compliance Officer
Licensing & Regulatory Compliance

The letter includes a PDF attachment which we have broken down for you into sections.

We recently visited your property to:

• Check whether your gully traps, downpipes and spouting were draining into the right place and are in good condition.

• Look for areas where big puddles or flooding could occur and drain into the wastewater network.

As a result of our visit, we have identified a drainage issue on your property that is allowing stormwater to enter the wastewater network or vice versa. This is a major contributor to wet-weather

overflows and poor water quality.

Why is it important to fix this?

Problems with private drainage are a major contributor to wet-weather overflows and poor water quality. Wet-weather overflows occur when the volume of stormwater entering our wastewater pipes exceeds their capacity. When this happens, diluted wastewater can overflow, polluting people’s properties and Auckland’s streams and beaches.

Why are overflows a problem? 

• They can affect your health and your family’s health

• They can pollute properties, our streams and beaches.

Reducing wet-weather overflows and improving water quality Working together to improve the water  quality of streams and beaches in Auckland. 

Wet-weather overflows and incorrectly connected or damaged pipes can affect people’s properties and pollute our streams and beaches. Working together to improve the water quality of streams and beaches in Auckland Why is it important to fix this? Problems with private drainage are a major contributor to wet-weather overflows and poor water quality. Wet-weather overflows occur when the volume of stormwater entering our wastewater pipes exceeds their capacity. When this happens, diluted wastewater can overflow, polluting people’s properties and Auckland’s streams and beaches.

Why are overflows a problem?

• They can affect your health and your family’s health

• They can pollute properties, our streams and beaches

Drain Unblocking may resolve initial problems identified. 

If you are a property owner, you are responsible for ensuring that storm water from your property does not enter the wastewater network and wastewater does not enter the storm water network.

As part of our region-wide programme to reduce the volume of storm water entering the wastewater network, we’re inspecting and testing the public wastewater and storm water network and private property drainage across Auckland.

We’re also working closely with Auckland Council to identify and investigate issues that consistently impact the health of our local waterways and beaches. We’re developing and implementing strategies to manage wastewater and storm water in the long-term: accommodating growth., reducing wet-weather overflows and improving water quality. Together, we can improve the health of our local  waterways, streams and beaches.

Landscaping and paved areas

Stormwater can build up quickly on these surfaces during heavy rain. To avoid it flowing into gully traps or wastewater pipes, drainage in these areas should be directed into the storm water network.

Private pipes

All private drainage pipes must be correctly connected so wastewater and stormwater drain into the right place. It’s also important to fix any wastewater pipes on your property that are old, broken or have roots growing into them. Water can seep through the ground into damaged pipes and enter the wastewater network.

Wastewater manholes

During periods of heavy rain, a sudden increase in stormwater flowing into the wastewater network from properties can result in diluted wastewater overflowing from manholes and elsewhere in the network.

Gully traps

Wastewater from your kitchen, bathroom and laundry exits your home through a gully trap, which is a basin in the ground. All houses have at least one gully trap against an outside wall. They protect your family’s health by ensuring that, in the event of a blockage, wastewater will overflow from the gully trap and not back inside your home. They also prevent foul air escaping from your wastewater pipes. It is important to ensure your gully trap is raised off the ground and covered by a grate to prevent stormwater and other foreign matter entering the wastewater Network.

How can Drainage NZ assist with your crossover compliance warning?

Watercare Services Limited began smoke testing drains in Auckland, New Zealand, around 2011. This method is used to identify leaks, illegal connections, and faulty pipes in the wastewater network by pumping non-toxic smoke into the system and observing where it escapes. This helps Watercare to maintain and improve the efficiency of the wastewater infrastructure by pinpointing issues that need a drain repair or replacement​ Drainage NZ has been involved with resolving these cross connections ever since!

If you have received a letter such as the above, contact us for solutions that will not cost you a fortune.

 

When You Need Water Main Repairs

Ah the dreaded water main repair. The nightmare of all homeowners, this is one issue everyone hopes to never have to deal with. If you find yourself with a broken water main, what can you do?

The most common issue that happens with water mains is a burst pipe. The cause is dependent on a few factors, one of which is the type of pipe that your water main is. Types of pipe include:

Galvanised – These are generally from the 1920s and usually very corroded. They can result in poor water flow as well as a bad taste in the water, and are known to burst. It will probably need to replaced. It is very unlikely that we will repair a 90 year old pipe, it is uneconomical and will more than likely cause you issues again in the future.

Copper – The best thing about copper mains is they are easy to replace. Copper has long been used as water pipe because it is durable, offers good corrosion resistance, easy to bend and malleable, self supporting and offer good water flow characteristics. Copper can also be recycled.

Plastic – Becoming more common, there are a lot of plastic water mains that are coming to the end of their lives. This is mostly due to older plastic piping being made from hard polyethylene, which is susceptible to pinholing or splitting. There are various types of plastic pipe including polybutylene, polypropylenem uPVC and polyethylene.

Why do water mains split or burst?

There are two main reasons that would cause a water main to split. These are installation and backfill.

When a pipe is installed, it is vital that the pipe was not kinked or bent so that it would cause a crease in the pipe. It it did get a kink, after 20 years of ground vibration from the water running over this ridge, the ground movement from traffic and the expansion and contraction of the soil during the different seasons will cause enough movement for the pipe to split.

If the backfill around the pipe contains stones or rocks and one finds itself resting against the pipe, this can cause a little nick which, with enough ground movement this will cause a pin hole or split in the pipe.

Repair or replacement?

Once you have the leak, the question will now be do your repair your water main or replace it? The best option here will be given to you by the drainage expert in this situation who is investigating your leak. If the water main is a simple job, we may well advise a replacement, as sometimes this can work out cheaper than locating the leak and repairing that section. This will depend on each individual job.

This is a water main that we recently had to do for a customer. Their old water main was copper but was causing them issues with leaks so they decided to wanted to replace the whole pipe with PE (Polyethylene) pipe. The job involved redirecting the water main to their house and installing a T for a garden house tap.

Are you having issues with your water main? Get in contact with us today and get it fixed now! We offer emergency work if you have a leak in your water main.

 

Blocked Drains? You Might Need A Repair

Blocked_drains_repairMore often than not, a blocked drain is a simple solution which involves quick unblocking of the drain from debris that got stuck in out. However, sometimes can also be much more complicated.

A CCTV inspection of the drain will quickly reveal if there is damage to the drainage causing the blockage. Damage can be caused by a number of things including tree roots growing into the pipe, damage caused by humans, age, or other external forces.

Should you find your drains damaged, quick repair is crucial. Many times it is possible to repair the drain by doing a relining, without the need for excavation, which is the ideal scenario. In extreme cases, the drain may need to be completely excavated and replaced with new pipes, but this is a rare occurrence.

Drainage NZ can help you with all your drain repair needs. Give us a call on 0800 372 465 today!