Water and Sewer Planned Maintenance

From time to time, Council will need to undertake planned maintenance works to the water supply and sewer systems. Council always is mindful of the disruption that can be caused to customers and for planned works will always aim provide adequate notice.  

Our commitment in the event of planned maintenance works is outlined in the table below.

Customer Type
Action
Residential Customers
  • Undertake planned work that involves shutting down the water supply or sewer system at a time that minimises disruption to customers.
  • Provide notice to occupiers of affected properties 24 hours prior to commencing planned work.
  • Notice will be given via letter box drops, social media, Council’s website and variable message board (where possible).
  • Every reasonable effort will be made to perform planned work between 8.30am and 3pm in residential areas where prolonged outages are planned.
  • Provide alternative water supplies where possible through temporary connections and/or bottled drinking water for outages predicted to be greater than 8 hours.
Commercial and Industrial Customers
  • Undertake planned work that involves shutting down the water supply or sewer system at a time that minimises disruption to customers.
  • Provide 7 seven days’ notice (or by agreement) prior to commencing planned work.
  • Notice will be given via letter box drops, social media, Council’s website and variable message board (where possible).
  • Every reasonable effort will be made to perform this work between 6pm and 6am or on weekends in commercial and industrial areas where prolonged outages are planned.
  • Provide alternative water supplies, where possible, through temporary connections and/or bottled drinking water for outages predicted to be greater than 8 hours.

Critical Water Supply Customers
  • Liaise with Extremely Critical Water Supply Customers and other Critical Water Supply Customers to negotiate, where possible, a mutually convenient time to minimise impacts of interruption.
  • Notice will be given, via doorknocking/letter box drops or direct contact.
  • Provide 7 seven days’ notice (or by agreement) prior to commencing planned work.
  • Provide alternative water supplies, where possible, through temporary connections and/or bottled drinking water for outages predicted to be greater than 8 hours.

In the event of planned and unplanned supply interruptions, Council will prioritise notifications and action to restore supply Council for all Critical Water Supply Customers.

Access and entry to private property

If in the event, it is necessary to enter your property to access water supply (water meter reading notwithstanding) or sewerage infrastructure (for example: pressure sewer units, manholes, mains or inspection openings), Council will:

  • Make every effort to contact the occupier/owner of the property prior to entering upon the land to undertake urgent repairs;
  • Ensure that all Council staff and/or authorised contractors as applicable, produce their identifications upon arrival;
  • Advise the occupier/owner of the property as to the nature of the work being undertaken, the staff and equipment necessary involved and the timeframe to complete the work;
  • Undertake the work as carefully as possible with all effort made to minimise the impact upon the property and disruption to the occupier;
  • Leave a ‘calling card’ after completion of the work if the occupier/owner of the property is not present;
  • Discuss any reinstatement works with the occupier / owner prior to commencement and
  • Make every effort to reinstate the property to its prior state as quickly as possible after completion of the work.

In all circumstances Council will:

  • Undertake works in a safe manner in line with best practice;
  • Present ourselves in a neat and tidy manner; and
  • Conduct ourselves professionally and courteously at all times and refrain from any offensive behaviour or coarse language.

Reinstatement of surfaces

In most cases, water and sewer mains are located beneath the street, footpath or inside the rear/side boundary of a property.  Sometimes it is necessary that landscaping and/or concrete driveways will need to disturbed in order to repair or replace water mains and other infrastructure.  

Council will take reasonable care in undertaking these works and where driveways are involved, will seek and alternative to cutting the driveway wherever possible.  Should an alternative solution not be viable, cutting may be unavoidable.  Council will restore the driveway and this includes concrete, exposed aggregate, decorative, pavers or stamped concrete.

For works undertaken upon grassed verges or nature strips the replacement of turf may be by way of grass seed and topsoil to promote growth.

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