Walk the streets back from Nelson Place and the Strand and you see Victorian and Edwardian cottages, weatherboards and bluestone, many of them carefully kept. Behind those front fences the sewer drains are usually vitrified clay, often original, sometimes with a section or two swapped out over the years. Every one of those old joins, mortared or rubber-ringed, is a possible way in for roots, and each patched section adds two more.
And there are plenty of roots about. Mature street trees, old gardens and the odd big fig or gum have been growing beside those pipes for a very long time. Close to the bay the ground can stay wet for much of winter, and the reactive clay further inland still moves with the seasons. The result is the classic older-suburb pattern: slow drains and gurgling that build up over months, then a full blockage after heavy rain.
What we find in Williamstown drains
Roots in original clay
Roots get into old joins and grow into a mass that stops the line. See tree root removal.
Water coming up the shower
When the main sewer line blocks, the lowest outlet in the house, often a shower or floor waste, overflows first. See sewer repairs.
Damage under gardens and paths
A cracked line under a heritage garden or tiled path can be sealed from inside instead of dug out. See pipe relining.
How a drain job runs in Williamstown
Most Williamstown jobs start at a gully or inspection point near the back of the house. From there the camera runs the full line and the locator marks it above ground, which matters on blocks where the garden, the paving and the facade are all worth protecting. The crew also works through Newport, Spotswood and Williamstown North.
Your sewer drain usually stays your responsibility until it meets Greater Western Water's main at the property connection point. If the footage shows the blockage beyond that, check with Greater Western Water.
