Altona's drains sit in flat, low ground between Cherry Lake and the bay, under a mix of older clay and early PVC. Blocked sewer lines and overflowing stormwater pits are the two problems that turn up again and again here, and both start with the camera.
Altona's housing spans several decades. Closer to Pier Street and Seaholme there are older homes with clay sewer lines, often in gardens with well-established trees, while the streets built through the 1970s to the 1990s, out toward Altona Meadows, often mix clay with early PVC. The joins on those older pipes, and the transitions where PVC was spliced in during a repair, are the points that usually fail first, often well before the pipe itself.
The land is very flat, which shapes how drains behave. Sewer lines run on gentle falls, so a little ground movement in the reactive clay soil can leave a section sitting low. Stormwater has little slope to work with too, and pits that are cracked by a car wheel, packed with leaves or silted up after a storm cannot carry a heavy downpour away. Add roots from established gardens and you have the full Altona picture.
Downpipes overflow and the yard holds water when a pit or pipe downstream is crushed or full of silt. See stormwater drain repairs.
Clay sections with tired joins let roots in from nearby trees and gardens. See tree root removal.
A section that has settled on a gentle fall holds waste and drains slowly. See cctv drain inspection.
A blocked line between the gully and the connection point makes the gully overflow, especially in rain. See blocked drains.
The crew covers Altona together with Seaholme, Altona North and Laverton, and the run often continues to Williamstown or Point Cook. Stormwater jobs here usually begin by lifting the pit lids and running the camera from pit to pit, which shows where the water stops and why.
The split of responsibility is the usual one. Greater Western Water maintains the sewer main, and the line from the house to the property connection point usually falls to the owner. Should the blockage be in the main, check with Greater Western Water; the footage is yours to show them.
The same crew, the same camera and the same three priced options on every job in Altona.
Altona stormwater runs on little slope, so a pit cracked by a car or a crushed pipe shows up fast; once the camera finds it, the damaged part is replaced.
Stormwater drain repairs →Roots are cut from older clay sewer lines and jetted out so the full pipe width is open again.
Tree root removal →On flat blocks the locator traces stormwater and sewer lines and gives the depth of the fault, so any dig goes straight to it.
Drain locating →A settled or broken section is replaced through one small dig, then tested.
Drain repairs and replacements →A gully spilling over, a slow shower or a sluggish sink is cleared first, then the camera follows the line to see what set it off.
Blocked drains →Also in Altona: blocked toilets, drain cleaning & hydro jetting, drain maintenance, cctv drain inspection, static and isolation testing, pipe relining, sewer repairs.
Once the camera shows the cause, your quote gives you all three, each with its own price.
Jetted clear today. The lowest price, but if the pipe is damaged it will block again.
The damaged section located, dug up and replaced. Fixes the cause at that spot.
The run relined or replaced, so roots and breaks cannot come back.
Prices depend on what the camera finds. You see all three before any work starts.
Reviews of McQueen Group. Blockage Bros is its drainage crew: same owner, same technicians.
Ryan and Michael from McQueen group provided me with thorough and very helpful advice. They did a great job identifying the reason my shower wouldn't drain properly and they fixed the problem efficiently. They were very professional and friendly to deal with. Highly recommended.
Great work by Chris today, really appreciate response to call out on a weekend, and fixed the blockage for us!
Daniel was earlier than scheduled time, he phoned me to advise he was on his way, i appreciate that very much. Attended property for toilet blockage, able to fix promptly and also gave me some tips for moving forward to help avoid blockages, very knowledgeable and assured they'd be back immediately if I experience any further issues. I'm very impressed and would highly recommend. Thanks team
Ryan was fast and efficient at fixing a clogged drainage system. Thanks guys!
Massive shout out to Brandon for attending my rental in kurunjang twice in a matter of afew weeks due to a blockage in the drain. He was friendly, extremely professional and efficient in both visits. He did an outstanding job rectifying the issue and for that I am extremely grateful and appreciative for all his efforts and hard work. Thanks Brandon!
Had Chris and his apprentice come and help with a blocked pipe. At all times Chris was very clear and transparent about what work was required and took the time to show using the camera, explaining why the pipe needed replacing. Thanks guys amazing work.
What a great experience! Initially dealt with Ashley to get an emergency booking and she was absolutely fantastic and assured me everything would be okay and the would fix the problem. I had the pleasure of having Harley come out to my place to fix a very smelly blocked drain problem and he was great. Called before arriving and once here, was very transparent with everything he needed to do, reassured me he would be able to fix it and then once he did fix it, made sure it was clean and even turned my fans on to air the crap smell. Will definitely recommend these guys and will 100% use them again if I need to!
Usually, yes. Most of the time a stormwater pit or pipe is blocked or crushed, and once the camera shows where, it can be cleared or replaced. You get the options in writing first.
Both. Blockage Bros works on existing sewer and stormwater drains at homes, and the same camera, jetter and locator are used on each.
Yes. Someone is on call 24/7, including weekends, so an overflowing gully at midnight still gets answered.
A blocked sewer raises a quick question: is this mine, the landlord's or the water authority's? Here is the general picture in Victoria, and why the camera footage settles it.
Read the guide →
Dirty water rising up through the shower or a floor waste is a sign the main sewer line is blocked. Here is what to do in the next ten minutes, and what happens when the crew arrives.
Read the guide →
If the same drain blocks again and again, something in the pipe is letting it happen. Here is what usually causes it, why clearing alone only buys time, and how to stop it.
Read the guide →We find it. We fix it. Ring now and someone on call picks up, day or night.