gutters/drainage

[bug]

Hi, I've just bought a house with downpipes that lead to no where. There's no drainage at all, the pipes are held up by bricks.
Can anyone help me with resources regarding storm water drains/drainage etc? My land is fairly flat and it's on top of a hill.

Thanks

[Barry_White]

This depends on council requirements but in main the general thing to do is to run roof water to the street into the council gutters and if you are on the top of a hill this should not be a major problem.

That is unless it is uphill to the footpath if there is one. You may have to get council permission to dig up the footpath. It is usual to use 90mm plastic stormwater pipe. to run the drains.

As your land is flat you may not get a lot of fall on the pipes but that shouldn't be a problem as long as the end of the pipe is open the water will run away.

If it is uphill to the footpath you will have to dig rubble pits in your back yard and fill them with large rocks. That is unless there is a council drainage easment running through your property.

One thing that is highly illegal is to run roof water into council sewer mains or easments.

[bug]

Thanks Bazza, the street is slightly up hill so it looks like
drainage pits are the go, are there any general guidelines I should follow with the placement, depth etc? There seems to be a great lack of info on this on the net.

Thanks for your help

[journeyman Mick]

This will depend on your rainfall and soil type, I'd be calling into the council and asking the plumbing inspector as they will have a fair idea based on local knowledge what you will need.

Mick

[Barry_White]

Probaly should contact the council for guidelines.

[bug]

Thanks Bazz & Mick, it's the sensible thing to do I suppose. I've just been to the hornsby council website which of course is like looking for a needle in a haystack, so I'll just givema call.

Thanks for your advice

[Snoopy]

With drainage going uphill, there is another option. If you can drain all down pipes to one, maybe two points, where you can install a pit with a submersible pump. These pumps have an automatic float switch which will turn the pump on as the water level rises and off when it falls. It is important to size both pit and pump to allow for high water flow during heavy rain and most councils require that some sort of seepage pit still be used for any overflow. However, this would greatly reduce the need for large pits with associated major earthworks and with regular maintance (no more often than you should clean your gutters) is very reliable.

Don't forget that this is a good stage to consider installing a rainwater tank (government rebates available for Sydney Water customers) which would also act as a 'surge pit' and are the flavour of the month with councils just now.

Would recommend you talk to a pump installation/sales company as they should be able to help with sizing pit and pump, although council is likely to spec this and will give minimun pit size and pump duty rates (performance) depending on the size of your roof area and block, and height to the street.

Although plumbers do this type of work they are rarely fully experinced/qualified to complete the whole task themselves, so you end up paying for their electrician as well as the gear at cost-plus.

[Marc]

Bug, before you do anything, ask the council like the rest wisely told you, (particularly your council!)

You said you just bought the place. Did you have a building inspection? How long ago was it built?
Stormwater drain running on the ground is not allowed and was never allowed in Sydney. Older houses had rubble pits, but such pits are now outlawed as well and as soon as you put a development application to renovate anything at all, they will direct you to rectify the problem.

I would first see what remedies are available from the previous owner, building insurance, building inspector's bad report etc, ask your solicitor.

Regardless of who will fund the fixing, you must first locate the stormwater pipe, (not the sewer pipe).
The fact that you are below the street means nothing, your storm water main may be in the back (mine runs along the back fence) your recently acquired surveyors report; compulsory in NSW should locate the pipes for you. If not $20 will pay for a nice plan from your local Sydney Water Office

Now if that pipe is up hill from the house, (and I guess it probably is, explaining why the previous owner did not connect the down pipe to the stormwater) you have still two options.

One, the most expensive, is to pump it up hill from a pit, the other is to run a stormwater pipe across some neighbour who has a lower connection and allows you to build an easement into their property.

The second may be cheap if you have good neighbours, or ... they can refuse and you must then go the to the Land and Environment court to argue that you need their permission and that can cost you anything from $2000 or more, according to the mood of the magistrate, the argument your neighbour puts up (invaluable plants, lifestyle disruption, danger for the kids and that sort of c..ap)

I know of a case where the refusal was upheld and the owner of a five bedroom derelict home with rubble pits, cannot renovate because has no updated drains, and not stormwater pipe accessible from his property.

Best of luck !