sewer obstruction

[manofaus]

I bought a house and after three months I had a blockage in the sewer line. (from the main sewer to the house) I paid a plumber to come and fix? or rememdy the situation, and he used a pressure head thingy that jetted water to clear the blockage. He stayed for about half an hour and charged me 300 bucks. Its been another three months and the blockage is back. I have been told by a freind that that part of the sewer line is owned by the council and they need to repair it.
I also have brown rusty water. It appears as though the house has been replumbed in copper, but the line to the meter is gal. Should i get ask the council to change it to copper. I pay pro rata for water usage should I be at the colour? is there some sort of minimum standard for water?
Cheers big ears
btw I am in the hunter valley

[pawnhead]

A water jetter will clear the line of built up grease, but an electric eel is better for cutting through tree roots if that's what your problem is.
Good luck getting the water board to do anything about it unless the main is blocked and your neighbours are getting backed up as well. As far as I know, the buck stops at the main, and your entire branch is your own problem, even if it's partly on council land.
Good luck with the rust too. Perhaps if we all complain enough, they'll spend a couple of billion on infrastructure maintenance, and then we wouldn't see so many burst mains, wasting water and flooding entire streets. A bit of iron is good for you anyway, but if you don't like the look of it, then get a decent water filter/purifier for the stuff you drink, or buy some bottled 'holy' water, and save your soul at the same time.

[Sturdee]

from the main sewer to the house

Sewer line from the main sewer to your house is your responsibility and not the council, get the plumber back to fix it properly.

I also have brown rusty water. It appears as though the house has been replumbed in copper, but the line to the meter is gal.

The water pipe from the house to the meter is also your responsibilty and not the council, again get a plumber in to fix it.


Peter.

[pawnhead]

The water pipe from the house to the meter is also your responsibilty and not the council, again get a plumber in to fix it.

I could be wrong, but I thought the whole branch from the main was your responsibility.
If it washes clean after a few minutes, then it's probably coming from your branch I'd say, but If you're continually getting rusty water, and your house is copper, then it's more than likely coming from the main, and I reckon there's bugger all that they'll do about it.

[wonderplumb]

Get him back, if you use a jet properly you should get a good 12mths on average, unless ofcourse the pipe is actually broken (assuming its earthenware) then you have problems. A jet used properly with the correct head shytes all over an electric eel, $300 is a little steep also for a jet. As for your water gal pipe isnt used on a property service (main to meter) unless hunter water have done other wise, you might find its screw gauge copper, you may also find you might still have a bit of gal running under the house perhaps? Just some ideas.

[Sturdee]

I could be wrong, but I thought the whole branch from the main was your responsibility.

Here the water authority takes responsibility for the line from the main to the meter as that had to be installed in accordance with their regulations, even in the days of gal piping that section had to be of a certain size and in copper.

I presumed it was the same everywhere, but you never know.


Peter.