Trees and Sewer pipes

Trees and shrubs play an important role in our daily life.  They enhance the environment while providing shade, windbreaks and aesthetic value to any home. However, trees can cause major problems and some species are unsuitable for planting near your home’s sewer pipes or Hunter Water’s sewer mains. To find out more click here.

The roots of some trees can infiltrate and eventually destroy pipes, causing significant inconvenience and costly repairs. The degree of risk and damage caused by tree roots depends on:

• What type of tree or shrub is involved
• How close it is to the sewer pipes
• What your sewer pipes are made of (eg clay, PVC, UPVC, etc).

How to find pipes on your land

Many people are unaware that Hunter Water sewer mains run through residential properties, connecting to the sewer pipes owned by home owners.

The location of our mains and your pipes can be hard to identify without plans, although you can usually find an inspection shaft cover somewhere in your yard. We can provide you with a plan of your property showing where our sewer mains are located, while a qualified plumber can provide you with a basic plan of where your own sewer pipes are located.

Preventing Problems – the best solution

The ideal solution to this problem is to ensure that all new and replacement sewer pipes meet current Australian Standards and NSW Plumbing Code of Practice guidelines, and to avoid planting inappropriate trees near your sewer pipes.

Use the right pipes

You must use a licenced plumber when laying new sewer pipes or replacing old sewer pipes.

We strongly recommend continuous unplasticised (UPVC) pipes when laying new sewer pipes or replacing old sewer pipes in areas at risk of tree root intrusion. Roots find it virtually impossible to infiltrate well constructed UPVC pipes, while the older style vitreous clay pipes are more prone to root infiltration.

If you already have a problem

If there are roots in Hunter Water pipes, we use a special foam to inhibit root growth.

If the problem is in your own pipes, you can get a plumber to do the same or use an electric eel. Repair and reinforcement of the affected sewer pipes is also a practical option worth considering.

However, in severe cases you may need to consider removing the offending tree. If this is the case, it is vital that you correctly identify which tree is causing the damage and that you obtain a copy of your local council’s Tree Preservation Guidelines, as you will need Council approval to remove the tree.