By Matthew Baring-Gould, Kingscliff-based drainage plumber. Servicing Tweed Heads for 4 years. 5.0 stars across 173 Google reviews. Licensed NSW 383340C and QLD 15036450. ABN 74 605 392 348.
Commercial block change-over. Years of industrial debris packed in the stormwater lines. Could not flush to the main because of the environmental act. Called in the hydro-excavation crew to work with us.
Why we could not flush
Oils, hydrocarbons and heavy debris cannot be flushed into the main stormwater system under the Queensland environmental protection framework. If we had just hydrojet the line down to the council stormwater, we would have been in breach. The right approach was to clear and capture simultaneously.
What we did
- Called in the hydro-excavation crew with vacuum truck.
- Hydrojet in sections, with the vacuum truck sucking debris at the downstream manhole as we cleared.
- Each section was worked until the debris stopped coming out.
- Some rust had caked onto the inside of the pipe wall; this was extremely difficult to remove and we accepted a less-than-perfect finish on the worst sections.
- Two to three days total across the full block.
- Reported recommendations for preventive maintenance going forward.
What this costs vs. preventive
Had the previous occupancies maintained the stormwater on an annual schedule, this job would never have grown to this scale. Preventive annual stormwater maintenance on a commercial block is dramatically cheaper than a change-over clear.
Takeaway
If you manage a commercial property, book annual stormwater maintenance. The alternative is a two-to-three-day change-over clear that costs multiples of a decade of annual contracts.
Call Matty on 0447 188 394 for drainage work across Tweed Heads, the Northern Rivers, the Gold Coast and inner Brisbane.
Customer names and addresses have been withheld. Individual results vary. Drain Masters Plumbing is licensed in NSW (383340C) and QLD (15036450).
Frequently asked
Can you clear industrial debris from a stormwater line without a vacuum truck?
For small amounts, yes. For a commercial block that has been neglected for years, no, you need the vacuum capacity to legally capture what you dislodge.
How often should a commercial stormwater system be inspected?
Annually for a working industrial site. Every 2-3 years for office or retail with less debris generation. More often if there are oil-handling operations on the roof or in the yard.
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