Stormwater connections on your property
Stormwater needs to stay out of the sewer system.
Rainwater from your roof, driveway or yard flowing into the sewer can overwhelm the system during heavy rain. This can cause sewer overflows that damage homes, pollute the environment and create health risks.
Incorrect stormwater connections are often unintentional, especially in older homes. It is important to check your property’s drainage to make sure everything is connected to the right place.
Checking your stormwater system
Make sure the stormwater drains on your property are not connected to the sewerage network.
Check all drainage points
Check all the outside drains including roof gutters, downpipes and yard drains. Make sure they connect to the stormwater system and not the sewer.
If you are not sure, call a licensed plumber. They have specialised equipment to find incorrect connections.
If you think there is an issue, get it fixed as soon as possible to help prevent problems during heavy rain.
Find and check your overflow relief gully
Your overflow relief gully (ORG), or yard sink, is designed to protect your home. In the unlikely event of a sewer surcharge, the ORG allows the overflow to happen outside your house rather than through your toilets or basins.
The ORG is part of the sewerage system and must not collect any stormwater. It is illegal to connect or direct stormwater into an ORG, including from downpipes.
Smoke testing program
Hunter Water does regular smoke testing in the community. This involves blowing smoke into the sewer system and seeing where it exits to find any cross-connections.
Smoke testing is an effective and helpful way to:
- show if the wastewater maintenance hole is damaged
- check for leaks in pipes and fixtures
- locate cracked, broken or unsealed pipes or joints underground
- find stormwater down pipes that are incorrectly connected to the wastewater system
Contact us
- Call us on 1300 657 657 (Monday to Friday, 8am – 5pm)
- Use Live Chat during business hours
- Send us an email