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.
Blocked sewer at a Tweed Heads property. Extended the hydrojet downstream, cleared the blockage, CCTV’d the line. Found large tree root ingress near the council connection. The property already had a reflux valve installed to stop the sewer backing up through overflow relief gullies during flood events, which is a smart install for the street.
What the customer called us for
Owner called us out for a blocked sewer at a Tweed Heads home. Street is in a low-lying, flood-prone area.
What we found when we got there
Hydrojetted downstream and cleared the blockage. CCTV showed large tree root ingress near the council connection. The property had an existing reflux valve on the main sewer. That is a backflow prevention device that stops sewerage running back up through the overflow relief gullies into the house during a flood event when the council sewer mains are overwhelmed and backing up.
Why we did it this way
In a flood-prone street, a reflux valve is cheap insurance. When the stormwater system floods and the sewer mains back up, sewerage can and does run back up through the street main, into the property line, and out through the lowest point inside or outside the house. That lowest point is usually the overflow relief gully. A reflux valve stops the backflow. Clearing the root ingress at the council connection is still needed because roots will choke the valve if left.
What we did on site
- Extended the hydrojet downstream from the main inspection point.
- Cleared the blockage.
- Switched to the root ranger head and cut out tree roots near the council connection.
- Ran the CCTV camera along the full line to confirm the clear.
- Inspected the existing reflux valve and confirmed it was still operating.
- Cleaned up on completion.
The result
Line cleared back to clean pipe. Reflux valve confirmed operational for the next flood event. Owner documented on the camera report.
If you have the same issue
If you are in a low-lying street in Tweed, the Tweed Shire floodplain, or any Gold Coast suburb that sits near a creek, ask your plumber about a reflux valve before the next big wet. It will not stop stormwater flooding your yard, but it will stop sewerage flooding your bathroom. Call Matty on 0447 188 394 or request a quote.
Customer names and addresses have been withheld. Individual results vary. Drain Masters Plumbing is licensed in NSW (383340C) and QLD (15036450).
Frequently asked
What is a reflux valve?
It is a backflow prevention valve installed on your sewer line that only allows flow in one direction: out to the council main. If the council main backs up, the valve closes and stops the backflow from entering your property.
Why does the sewer back up during floods?
When the stormwater system is overwhelmed, water enters the sewer mains through overflow relief points. The council main fills past capacity and the only way for the pressure to escape is up through the private connections and out through overflow relief gullies on each property. That is the sewer backup.
Can I still get roots in a line with a reflux valve?
Yes. The reflux valve stops backflow. It does not stop tree roots entering the pipe at cracks or joints. A line with a reflux valve still needs a CCTV survey every few years.
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