Drain identification

[baileyboy]

Hi, I need a bit of help identifying where these drains go to.

I have a problem with surface water on my block (very flat) and no fall anywhere. Its basically a trough. I want to connect drains to downpipes to improve drainage from the backyard. And then I saw these. They are connected to my laundry and bathroom drains.

I would like to know if there are connected to stormwater or sewerage lines?

Thanks in advance.

9070290703

[ringtail]

​Sewer for both

[plum]

Both are disconnector traps taking grey water to sewer. Because both grates are mortared in, they wont work effectively as overflow relief. You'll have to find a storm water drain elsewhere, if one exists that is, to discharge your downpipes.

[ringtail]

Both are disconnector traps taking grey water to sewer. Because both grates are mortared in, they wont work effectively as overflow relief. You'll have to find a storm water drain elsewhere, if one exists that is, to discharge your downpipes.


When you say "work effectively" do you mean to say that they could work effectively if not mortared in ? In Qld its illegal to put storm water into sewer is it the same down there ?

[plum]

Highly illegal to discharge stormwater into sewer as it places the treatment plants into overload which in turn when these flood go directly into Port Phillip Bay, not good for our snapper. :no:
For an org to work effectively, they need a pop off grate, if metal or plastic grates lose the capacity to pop off in the event of a blockage, a mortared in grate will block up with paper and products, so potentially unwanted sewerage can flood your house through the shower recess. :o

[baileyboy]

I also have a hole under the house. Looks like some sort of drain?

90704

[plum]

Looks a bit storm waterish, run a ship load of water down it and see if comes out at your point of discharge.
Or obtain a copy of your sewer plan and see if it appears on it, if not, will probably be storm water. It appears quite old so if storm water, most likely be blocked and ineffective.

[ringtail]

Highly illegal to discharge stormwater into sewer as it places the treatment plants into overload which in turn when these flood go directly into Port Phillip Bay, not good for our snapper. :no:
For an org to work effectively, they need a pop off grate, if metal or plastic grates lose the capacity to pop off in the event of a blockage, a mortared in grate will block up with paper and products, so potentially unwanted sewerage can flood your house through the shower recess. :o


Never thought of the pop off grate thing. Makes sense eh. All the old houses up here are done like the OP's photo with the pipes mortared into the squash top and just keep troweling in on to cover everything. New installs have the plastic type. House behind me done by a dodgy half arsed wanna be developer is funny. Old house raised to legal height but it has a 30 degree tiled roof. To get his heights he got the bobcat to cut the block below street level. When it rains it floods. Been flooded 3 times with the worst going 200 mm inside the ground floor. Storm water in the yard runs down the ORG thus minimising the flooding. Combined with 2 pits and pumps to manage stormwater. All approved by councils inspector - gold. ORG not the correct height in relation to lowest fitting inside either.

[barney118]

Both are disconnector traps taking grey water to sewer. Because both grates are mortared in, they wont work effectively as overflow relief. You'll have to find a storm water drain elsewhere, if one exists that is, to discharge your downpipes.

I thought they were called a gully? They are raised so stormwater cannot enter such as run off. Do mot connect stormwater as said.

[baileyboy]

Thanks for the advice fellas.

It has been nightmarish last few months with the rain in SEQ.

I tried putting water in that old pipe (not the gully drains) and it runs off somewhere. I don't have drains coming out on the street so I have no idea. I suspect they are connected directly to the council stormwater drains(?) We have a very large drains in our street but sewer and stormwater plans show no information as to pipes going into the properties.

I had a plumber with a locator one afternoon and after two hours and $300, he marked out the underground pipe of a downpipe (he said I can connect a drain to it). The other 3 downpipes, he said he can't find the pipe as it disappears under a slab. Anyway, I dig as per where he said and I went down 1m and couldn't find anything. So I started digging the OTHER direction. After 200mm, I found the pipe. It is an old clay type pipe. Approx 8 inches in diameter. Anyway, I don't want to mess with a clay pipe so I'm getting another guy to come in next weekend and attempt to map out where my pipes are. Painful process...

[amiaow]

If that clay pipe is stormwater, it is likely that it is broken along its length- it looks like the stuff that we had (1950 house) that I replaced this summer. The old pipes can collapse and then the stormwater doesn't run as it should. I dug it all up by hand (don't recommend it, but it was free :) ) and had the plumber replace it all with 100mm PVC ($1300 inc new stink pipe & roof flashing). If you're attempting to fix big drainage problems and your house is of a similar vintage, it is worth thinking about.

[ringtail]

If that clay pipe is stormwater, it is likely that it is broken along its length- it looks like the stuff that we had (1950 house) that I replaced this summer. The old pipes can collapse and then the stormwater doesn't run as it should. I dug it all up by hand (don't recommend it, but it was free :) ) and had the plumber replace it all with 100mm PVC ($1300 inc new stink pipe & roof flashing). If you're attempting to fix big drainage problems and your house is of a similar vintage, it is worth thinking about.


Stink pipe on stormwater ? or replaced as another job ? You know you can legally do all storm water plumbing in QLD, no need to call a plumber if you're capable.

[amiaow]

The stink pipe & flashing was another job but done at the same time so included in the cost. I wasn't confident enough with my plumbing to connect all of the new stormwater pipes & make angled joins, hence employed the plumber.

I thought all plumbing in QLD had to be done by a plumber regardless of whether it was stormwater or mains water?

[ringtail]

The stink pipe & flashing was another job but done at the same time so included in the cost. I wasn't confident enough with my plumbing to connect all of the new stormwater pipes & make angled joins, hence employed the plumber.

I thought all plumbing in QLD had to be done by a plumber regardless of whether it was stormwater or mains water?


Nope. All storm water is open to anyone this includes water tank plumbing too - except for connecting to the house toilet / laundry, plumber must be used for this.