Quick tips on caring

INFRASTRUCTURE
for infrastructure
around your home
Cut back shrubs and grass
around infrastructure.
 Dont bury maintenance holes (manholes),
water meters, hydrants and valves.
 Dont park your car over infrastructure.
If you are undertaking landscaping or
other works that may obstruct your propertys
water meter, you can request to have the
infrastructure relocated for a fee.

Visit www.unitywater.com to access an

application form.

Looking after
your water supply
and sewerage
infrastructure
For more information
Our website has a wealth of information.
Visit www.unitywater.com
Alternatively, you can email us via our online
enquiry form or call 1300 0 UNITY (1300 086 489).

0286-01 JUN12
100% recycled. This paper is made entirely
from post-consumer waste (making it a true
recycled grade) and all by-products of the
production cycle are reused and recycled.
Disclaimer: This information is correct at the
www.unitywater.com time of printing and is subject to change.
Why protect your
infrastructure?
The water supply and sewerage infrastructure which provides
essential services to your home has been constructed with
built in safety features to protect your home in the event of a
blockage in the sewer pipes or a burst water supply pipe. It is
in your interests to make sure that these safety features are
unobstructed and maintained.
Sewer maintenance holes
Sewer maintenance holes also known as manholes or sewer
access points are positioned at regular intervals (approximately
every 80 metres), or wherever there is a change in slope, direction
or type of sewer pipe. The metal lid you can see provides access to
a much larger chamber below ground level, which may be up to six
metres deep.
Sewer maintenance holes allow us to:
inspect sewers using closed circuit television;
clean sewers; and
locate and clear blocked sewers.
It is important to keep maintenance holes free of any
obstructions so they can be accessed easily in the event
of a blocked sewer, which may affect your property.
Emergency
infrastructure
Like maintenance holes, it is important to
keep water supply infrastructure located on
or around your property clear of obstructions.
If water hydrants, valves or water meters
are covered with soil and grass or any
other substance, they may be difficult to
locate when needed in an emergency.
Raising and lowering maintenance holes
What to look out for
The top of sewer maintenance holes should be at least 50mm
above finished surface level. The surrounding ground should Sewer drain inspection openings (SDIOs)
be sloped away to allow free surface drainage around and are covered openings that allow plumbers
away from the maintenance hole. If this is not the case you to inspect your private drainage pipes and
should make changes to the ground level, as stormwater clear any blockages. They are concrete
flowing across the ground or ponding over the maintenance structures located in your yard
hole may enter the sewer through the manhole lid and that have a PVC screw cap.
cause the sewer to overflow in your yard or in a neighbours
property. If it is not possible to alter the ground level please It is important to avoid obstructing
the SDIO on your property so
contact Unitywater and arrange for the maintenance hole
to be raised. Unitywater may charge you for this service. plumbers can promptly locate and rectify any
problems within your sewer pipes. This will stop sewage
Raising or lowering maintenance holes on public land from backing up into your home or yard.
If you notice the land or surface surrounding a Overflow Relief Gullies (ORGs)
maintenance hole has subsided, please notify are also located within property
Unitywater by calling 1300 0 UNITY (1300 086 489). boundaries and must remain
Raising or lowering maintenance holes on private land unobstructed. These fittings release
sewage in the case of a blockage before
When installing a pool, landscaping, or even building a retaining it can back up and overflow inside
wall or house, it is easy to bury a maintenance hole or alter the your home. If ORGs are covered or
height of the soil or surface surrounding it. Maintenance holes blocked, sewage will back up into your
must remain unobstructed and level with the surrounding home if sewer pipes become blocked.
surface to ensure they are easily accessible and to allow water Please refer to the How to help prevent
to drain freely. If you wish to raise or lower a maintenance hole sewage overflows on your property brochure for
on your property, a written quote from Unitywater is required. more information regarding ORGs.
To obtain a quote, you must fill out a Private Works application
(available at www.unitywater.com)
and submit the relevant documentation.
Water hydrants are fittings on water mains which allow Queensland Fire and Rescue Service personnel to access the water supply
in the event of a fire. They are positioned along the road verge at regular intervals and can be identified by a yellow concrete apron
surrounding a cast iron lid. A blue reflective road pavement marker will be fixed to the bitumen carriageway opposite each hydrant to
allow emergency services to identify the location of hydrants in emergency situations. Please ensure that hydrants are not covered.
You will be protecting your home and your neighbours homes if you keep the hydrant clear and unobstructed.
 ater valves are fittings on water mains which allow Unitywater personnel to shut down the supply of water in an emergency or for
W
maintenance purposes. In the event of a burst main in your street Unitywater personnel will use the valve to shut down the supply
of water while the main is repaired. Water gushing uncontrolled from bursts in water mains can damage property and disrupt traffic.
Valves are positioned along the road verge and can be identified by a white concrete apron surrounding a cast iron lid. A yellow
reflective road pavement marker will be fixed to the bitumen carriageway opposite each valve to allow Unitywater personnel to identify
the location of valves in emergency situations. Please ensure that valves are not covered. You will be protecting your home and your
neighbours homes if you keep the valve clear and unobstructed.
Water meter valve: You can shut off water supply to your house by closing the ball valve at the water meter. You need to know how to
do this in case a water pipe bursts inside your house.