Why do I have stormwater pits in my yard?
Those square grates in your driveway, lawn or courtyard are stormwater pits. They collect rain from the yard and downpipes and send it through underground pipes to the street, so water doesn't pool against your house or flood the yard. They're easy to forget about, and when they block, you'll know about it in the next storm. Here's what they do and how to look after them.
What stormwater pits do
Collect surface water
Pits sit at low points so rain running across paving and lawns has somewhere to go.
Join the pipes together
Downpipes and underground lines often meet at a pit, which also gives access for clearing the pipes.
Catch debris
Many pits have a sump below the outlet that catches leaves and silt before they block the pipes.
Protect the house
Grated drains across doorways and garage entries stop water running inside.
Looking after your pits
- Lift the grates a couple of times a year, and before storm season, and scoop out leaves and silt.
- Keep them clear of mulch, soil and pavers. A pit buried under a garden bed can't work.
- Check the water drains away after rain. Water sitting in a pit for days means the pipe out is blocked.
- Don't pour paint, oil or chemicals into pits. Stormwater goes straight to the ocean untreated.
When a pit stops working
If a pit overflows in rain or water sits in it, the pipe leading away is usually blocked by silt or tree roots, or has broken. We jet the line, check it with a camera and repair what's needed. Where a yard has no pits at all and floods, we can add them. See stormwater pit installation and backyard flooding. You get a fixed price before any work starts.
In southern Eastern Suburbs homes
Sand blown in from the beaches at Maroubra and Malabar, and leaves from big street trees in Matraville and Kingsford, fill pits quickly. Flat, low-lying blocks in Botany and Pagewood rely on pits working well, because there's little fall to the street.
Why locals call us
- Local to Matraville and the southern Eastern Suburbs
- Free on-site quotes, with a fixed price before any work starts
- Lifetime labour warranty on our workmanship
- 100+ five-star Google reviews
- Licensed plumbers and gasfitters (Lic. 398171C)
Common questions
What is a stormwater pit for?
It collects rainwater from the yard and downpipes and sends it through underground pipes to the street, stopping water pooling around the house.
How often should stormwater pits be cleaned?
A couple of times a year, and before storm season. More often under trees or near the beach.
Why is there always water in my stormwater pit?
Some pits are designed to hold a little water below the outlet, but if it doesn't drain after rain, the pipe out may be blocked.
Can I cover a stormwater pit?
No. Pits need to stay open and accessible to collect water and allow the pipes to be cleared.
Related help: stormwater, stormwater pits, backyard flooding, stormwater guide and downpipes and the sewer. Local pages: Maroubra, Malabar, Botany and Pagewood. Browse all our plumbing guides.