Drainage issues and responsibilities

Stormwater from structures and paved surfaces on your property is collected by your property's private drainage system and flows to a nominated point of discharge.

Property owners are responsible for the maintenance and repair of drainage up to and including the point of discharge to Council’s stormwater drainage system. See a diagram below showing drainage responsibilities and locations.

Private and Council drains 

The point where your stormwater runs off your roof and discharges into Council’s drainage infrastructure is the point of discharge (also known as the Legal Point of Discharge). 

Council’s stormwater infrastructure then conveys the water to Melbourne Water’s main drainage system and on to creeks, rivers and eventually Port Phillip Bay.

Stormwater does not include wastewater from basins, sinks, showers, baths, laundries, toilets and swimming pools. These items must be connected into the sewerage system, not Council's drainage system. For wastewater queries, contact Yarra Valley Water.

Water coming onto your land from a neighbour's property

Stormwater drainage flows between neighbouring properties are regulated under the Water Act 1989 and should be resolved between the private property owners involved. Council is not designated under the Water Act 1989 to enforce nuisance flooding between two private properties and does not provide mediation services between neighbours.

If you’re experiencing water flows from a neighbouring property, we advise you to contact your neighbour and make them aware of the issues you’re experiencing. If you do not make any progress by taking this step, contact the Dispute Settlement of Victoria for further advice on 1300 372 888 or visit the Disputes website.

Groundwater and sub-surface water seepage

Groundwater and sub-surface water seepage are natural occurring issues which can be exacerbated by rainfall conditions and alteration of the natural soil profiles.

Council is not responsible for managing groundwater or seepage within the Water Act 1989 and  does not undertake investigations into groundwater and sub-surface water seepage issues.

The responsibility for management of sub-surface groundwater conditions rests with each individual property owner, particularly during where construction is undertaken below existing natural surface levels. Issues can generally be addressed through the installation of sub-surface drainage to capture the groundwater flows.

Who to contact if there are issues

Issue	Who to contact
Blocked or broken Council drain	Report a drainage issue If it's an emergency, contact Council on 1300 88 22 33 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week),
Blocked or leaking private drain	Contact a plumber.
Burst water mains, burst sewerage or issues with water supply	Contact Yarra Valley Water on 132 762.
Damaged or broken pit lids  Example of pit lid	Report damaged or broken pit lid Alternatively call Council on 1300 88 22 33.
Other services assets Utility service lids are owned by other authorities such as Telstra, Ausnet or Yarra Valley Water. Example of utility service lid	We appreciate your assistance in notifying us of broken utility service pit lids. It is helpful if you can: Report the exact location of the pit, such as street name and number. Identify the lid by their owner name, which should be printed on the top, for example Telstra, Melbourne Water, United Energy etc. Make the area as safe as possible until response crews arrive.   To notify us, please phone Council on 1300 88 22 33.