Stormwater rules for Sydney homes: what owners need to know

Stormwater isn't just about clearing a blocked pit. There are rules about where your rainwater can go, who looks after which pipes, and who can do the work. Getting it wrong can mean water problems for you or your neighbours, or a fix you have to pay for twice. This guide covers the main rules for homeowners. It's written by the local plumbers who work on stormwater every week across Matraville, Maroubra, Malabar, Botany and the southern Eastern Suburbs.

The main rules

Who looks after what

• You, the owner: all the stormwater drainage on your property: gutters, downpipes, pits, grated drains and underground pipes, up to the legal point of discharge.
• Your council: the public drainage beyond that point, such as street drains and council pipes. In our area that's Randwick Council for Matraville, Maroubra and Malabar, and Bayside Council for Pagewood, Eastgardens and Botany.
• Kerb outlets and pipes under the footpath: work in the footpath or road usually needs council approval, and responsibility can depend on the council and the problem. We'll tell you what we find.

Other rules worth knowing

• Pool water: pool backwash is plumbed to the sewer, not the stormwater, and chlorinated or salt pool water shouldn't be emptied into the street gutter. Ask us before you drain a pool.
• Rainwater tanks: the tank overflow must go to the stormwater system. A tank connected to your house plumbing needs a licensed plumber and the right backflow protection.
• Extensions and new homes: council approval often includes stormwater conditions, and larger projects may need on-site detention to slow the water down. Check your approval before the drainage goes in.
• Paving and landscaping: new hard surfaces send more water into your system. Make sure there are enough pits and the pipes can take it.

Signs your system may not meet the rules

• A downpipe that runs into the ground with nowhere obvious to go
• Sewer gullies or drains that overflow every time it rains heavily
• Downpipes discharging straight onto the ground near the house or a fence
• Water running from your yard onto a neighbour's property
• A kerb outlet that's cracked, buried or missing

Stormwater rules in southern Eastern Suburbs homes

Many older homes in Matraville, Maroubra, Malabar, Pagewood and Botany have had decades of extensions, paving and new downpipes, not all of it done to today's rules. We regularly find downpipes running into old rubble pits, stormwater tied into the sewer, and kerb outlets that are cracked or buried. A camera inspection shows where your stormwater actually goes, and we give you options to bring it up to standard.

Need your stormwater checked? See our stormwater problems guide, our stormwater plumbing, blocked drains and CCTV drain inspection services, or your local page: Matraville, Maroubra, Malabar, Pagewood, Eastgardens, Botany and Little Bay. More plumbing guides.