Stormwater drains

There are many stormwater pipes and pits in Moreland.  They may be owned by individual property owners, Council or Melbourne Water.  Each person or organisation is responsible for looking after and cleaning their own drains.

What is stormwater?

Stormwater is the run-off from rain that falls on a roof or paved area like a driveway, road or footpath.  This water flows into a stormwater drain.

Where does stormwater go?

The drainage network in Moreland is a combination of pits, pipes, open channels and natural waterways. These carry the stormwater into creeks, rivers and other catchments. The stormwater eventually ends up in the ocean.

The stormwater drainage network in Moreland is a significant investment by Council. Its ongoing development, management and maintenance is explained in the Moreland Drainage Asset Management Strategy.

Which drains belong to who?

Drains and pipes that collect water on private property belong to the property owner. Owners are responsible for their drains up to the point of connection to the Council drain or kerb and channel, known as “Legal Point of Discharge” or to a drainage easement that runs through the property.  Sometimes private drains run through other properties either along a formal drainage easement or an implied easement. 

Since 1990 Council has required developers to install on-site detention systems on private property. These systems temporarily hold the water and release it slowly into the drainage system so as not to cause flooding downstream.  These are owned by and the responsibility of the property owner.

Council’s drains include the kerb and channel, drainage pipes and pits in the street and most (but not all) the drains in drainage easements.  Council drains will drain either to a creek or a Melbourne Water main drain.  Council looks after and cleans its own stormwater drains, but not private drains.

Melbourne Water has larger diameter main drains which they maintain. Melbourne Water is also responsible for the rivers and creeks.

Blocked or flooded stormwater drain

Contact Council to report a problem with a Council stormwater drain that is:

• blocked
• broken, or
• flooded.

Sewerage

Council does not look after the sewerage system.  All waste water leaving the inside of a building (including hand basins, sinks, showers, baths, laundry and toilets) flows into a sewerage pipe.  The sewerage pipes outside your property belong to Yarra Valley Water.  This waste water flows to the Werribee Treatment Plant.  Phone Yarra Valley Water on 132 762 about any sewerage system faults.

Water mains

Phone Yarra Valley Water on 132 762 about burst water mains.

Stormwater Protection

Stormwater can carry many pollutants into the stormwater system and eventually into the ocean. These include things that you can see such as plastic bags, drink bottles, take away food packaging as well as things that you can't necessarily see such as detergents, nutrients, toxicants, suspended solids and heavy metals.

These pollutants impact on water quality and can kill fish, plants and aquatic animals.

As stormwater is not treated everyone has a role to play in keeping all pollutants out of the stormwater system to ensure the long term health of our rivers, creeks and oceans.

Files

• Moreland Drainage Asset Management Strategy (PDF 1Mb)
• Moreland Drainage Asset Management Strategy (DOC 1Mb)