The last thing you want in storm season, is to find out the hard way that you have blocked stormwater drains – so here are our tips to help prevent flooding and other issues.
In south-east Queensland, our storm season traditionally runs from November through to April.
Add to that a La Nina weather pattern, and you know we’ll be in for a LOT of rain – like on 28 February 2022 when nearly 200ml fell in Logan City, in just 24 hours!
Have you ever stopped to wonder though – just where does all that water go?!
Where Does all the Water Go?!
Obviously, some of the rainfall soaks into the ground.
However in a more urban environment like Logan City, a lot of it ends up on roadways and roofing. Roof water flows into your gutters and pipes before connecting up with the underground stormwater system; while water on the road gushes into stormwater drains. Eventually the stormwater drains discharge into nearby creeks or the sea.
As the water surges into the stormwater drains, it collects anything in its path – such as plastic bags, toys and other rubbish, as well as garden waste like leaves, sticks, gravel, soil and mulch. Once the water subsides, the debris is often trapped in the pipes, causing a blockage.
And the first you’ll realise that you have blocked stormwater drains, is when you experience flooding in the next heavy downpour.
Not all blockages are caused by debris however; invasive tree roots are another common culprit.
How to Prevent Blocked Stormwater Drains
The time to prepare is before the first storm of the season unleashes its fury.
It’s worth checking a couple of key areas on your property regularly:
- Gutters and downpipes – remove the leaf litter and debris from the gutters and downpipes, or you risk water backing up and overflowing inside your house – and the last thing you want in the height of a storm is to have to go outside and clear them out!
- Stormwater drains – if you do have a stormwater grate in your yard, make sure that it is protected from potential landslides of bark chip, gravel or mulch from your garden, in a heavy downpour.
Who is Responsible for Blocked Stormwater Drains?
In Queensland it is the property owner’s responsibility to maintain and repair gutters and any stormwater drainage systems that are located on their property.
Where residential properties connect into a large underground stormwater pipe which runs through other private properties downstream, these properties can have private easements over the pipe and sometimes the overland flow above, without involving the local Council. In these cases, a blockage or maintenance could also be the responsibility of the property owners.
For stormwater drains that are not on private property, we recommend getting in touch with your local Council if you notice any blockages, flooding or other issues.
At Nuflow Logan we are the drainage specialists, working across all suburbs of Logan, including:
- Daisy Hill, Springwood and Browns Plains in the north;
- Eagleby, Beenleigh and Logan Village in the east;
- south to Jimboomba and Mundoolan;
- Greenbank, New Beith and Flagstone in the west.
When it comes to blocked stormwater drains, we can assist by:
- Inspecting underground pipes and drains using a CCTV camera, to locate any obstructions or damage.
- Flushing out drains with our high pressure jet rodding system to dislodge debris.
- Removing invasive tree roots.
- Relining the broken or damaged pipe with the Nuflow “no dig” drain repair method.
Contact us today on 07 3277 8401 for help with clearing or fixing your stormwater drains.
