Responsibilities for Maintenance

Water supply

Anything on your side of the meter (or, if there is no meter of the meter is not installed at the property boundary, the stop valve at the property boundary) is the property owner's responsibility.

Property Service Pipes

The property service pipe is the pipe and fittings from our water main to the meter (or stop valve at the property boundary).  For non-residential services the property owner is responsible for the maintenance of this service pipe.

Goulburn Valley Water assumes responsibility for the ongoing maintenance of residential service pipes, where such service pipes are constructed of approved copper or polyethylene material.

Galvanised property service pipes remain the responsibility of the property owner until such time as they are replaced with an approved material.  When a galvanised service pipe is replaced, the property owner is responsible for the costs of replacement up to $500 (ex GST).  Goulburn Valley Water will meet any costs in excess of $500.  This applies only to single residential dwellings.  In other cases the owner must pay all the costs.

Exceptions to this policy regarding residential service pipes are:

• water service pipes with a diameter exceeding 25mm;

• private fire services;

• private extensions supplying water by agreement.

In cases, the property owner is responsible for the maintenance of the service pipe.

Arrangements to replace a service should be agreed with Goulburn Valley Water prior to any works being carried out.

Sewerage Services

Property Owners are responsible for maintaining all plumbing and fixtures up to the connection point with the sewer main supplied by Goulburn Valley Water.

You may find out where the connection point is and obtain more details of our policy for maintenance of sewer house branches by calling our Technical Customer Services staff on 1800 06 47 14.

Maintenance of Sewer House Branches

Where the sewer main is located inside the serviced property. 

The Corporation will maintain the sewer house branch up to the downstream side of the first inspection fitting (inspection shaft or inspection opening) closest to the sewer main, provided that it is within 600mm from the main.

Where the downstream end of the first inspection fitting is more than 600mm from the sewer, the Corporation will maintain up to a distance of 600mm from the main, including any inclined junction, stack or jump up directly off the sewer main.

Where the sewer main is located outside of the property.

The Corporation will maintain the sewer house branch from the sewer main up to either the downstream side of the first inspection fitting (inspection shaft or inspection opening) or a maximum distance of 600mm into the property from the boundary line.

Where repetitive blockages due to tree roots occur in the section of the house branch for which the Corporation is responsible, the Corporation may elect to reconstruct this section of the drain.  The property owner is responsible for reconstructing the remaining sections of the drain.

Owner Responsibilities

• repair or replacement of the house drains on the property upstream of the points defined above.

• clearing all blockages in the house branch up to the point of connection to the sewer.  This will include clearing any blockages due to tree roots.

• engaging a qualified plumber to undertake any work associated with the maintenance of house drains or the clearing of blockages.

• identifying any problem in the section of the house drain which is to be maintained by the Corporation, and notifying the Corporation that their section of the drain requires either repair or replacement. 

In the event that the need for work on the Corporation’s assets is confirmed, then the property owner will be reimbursed for reasonable costs associated with the employment of the plumber.  This will normally not exceed charges relating to two (2) hours of plumbing work.