Tree roots
Why mature trees and older sewer lines don't mix
Established gardens are part of Kangaroo Flat's appeal, but big trees go looking for water, and a loose joint in an old clay sewer is an easy target. Fine roots slip through the gap, thicken over time and catch everything that flows past them. In many parts of Bendigo, clay soils that shrink and swell with the seasons can also nudge old joints apart, giving roots an easier way in.
The signs usually build slowly:
- the toilet gurgles or drains sluggishly after a big load of washing
- water sits in the shower base longer than it used to
- the grate on the gully outside lifts or spills when the house is busy
- a blockage you had cleared comes back within a season or two
Our high-pressure drain jetting cuts through the root mass and flushes it out of the line, rather than just punching a hole through the middle of it.
Newer homes
Blockages in newer Kangaroo Flat housing
PVC pipe resists roots far better than earthenware, so blockages in newer homes tend to have different causes. Fat and food scraps from the kitchen, wipes flushed down the toilet and builders' debris left in the line after construction are the usual suspects.
These blockages often clear quickly with jetting. Where a newer system keeps backing up, a camera can show whether a section of pipe has sagged or a junction has been damaged, so you can decide what to do next with real information in hand.
Units and townhouses add another wrinkle. Where several dwellings share a sewer line, a blockage caused in one can show up in another, so let us know if neighbours on the same site are having trouble too.
Finding the cause
Camera checks for repeat blockages
If the same drain has been cleared more than once, it is worth seeing inside it. After jetting, we can run a CCTV camera through the line to show root entry points, displaced joints or cracked sections. An electromagnetic locator then tracks the camera's signal from the surface, so we can mark where a problem sits and how deep it is.
That detail is useful whether you plan to keep the line maintained or have a section repaired, and it gives you a clear picture of the pipe's condition for future reference. You can read more about our CCTV drain inspections, or simply ask about one when you book.
Who is responsible
Your pipes, Coliban Water's main
In most cases, Kangaroo Flat property owners look after the private sewer pipes on their land, up to the point where they join Coliban Water's sewer main. If sewage is surfacing in the street or several neighbours are affected at once, the fault may be in the main rather than your line, and contacting Coliban Water is generally the right step.
For blocked drains in Kangaroo Flat that are confined to your property, we can help day or night, with emergency assistance available around the clock. For anything that can wait, you are welcome to request a quote.
