Drainage and sewerage

Blocked drains

Blockages, odour, sewage and stormwater overflow can occur for a number of reasons: extreme weather, children putting sticks and other foreign matter down the toilet system, missing grates, old or damaged pipes, etc. Sewage overflow is a potential health risk, especially if it enters the waterways and public spaces and therefore requires urgent attention.

The Council is responsible for the maintenance of stormwater and sewage pipe networks and the property owner is responsible for the pipes, drains, ditches and culverts etc on their own property and extending out to the Council mains.

If you discover a blocked, damaged or overflowing drain in a public place contact the Council’s Drainage Division or you can email us using the Council’s Request For Service Form.

Property owners should contact a registered plumber if there is a blocked, damaged or overflowing drain on their property or property boundary. If the registered plumber believes that that this is a Council matter, then the plumber should contact the Council on your behalf.

Report a blocked public drain

• You can report issues around the city using your phone with the Antenno app.
• Alternatively get in touch with our Customer Service team by phone (03) 211 1777 or email customer.service@icc.govt.nz

Culverts

The Council maintains the culverts under the roads and also the headwall structures (the entry and exit points of the culverts). Permission must be sought from the Council if you intend on piping a roadside culvert for property access – the Council can also provide you with information about pipe size, construction standards and location for road safety.

Roadside ditches

Maintenance of roadside ditches is generally the responsibility of the adjacent landowner – this includes ditches on the landowner’s property and road frontage. In some areas of Makarewa, Myross Bush and Otatara the ratepayers pay a drainage rate and the Council, on the landowners behalf, maintains the ditches. Permission must be sought from the Council if you intend on piping a roadside ditch for property access.

Septic tanks

Property owners of homes not connected to a public drain are required to provide and maintain their own on-site, below ground level, wastewater/sewage treatment system. These systems – septic tanks – should be regularly maintained and cleaned by a registered septic tank cleaning contractor.

Building consent is required by the property owner before a septic tank can be installed. This is to ensure that the tank meets the standards for building, environment and public health and safety.

If your septic tank fails contact a septic tank cleaning contractor in the first instant. If your septic tank fails and also discharges sewage you are required to notify the Council’s Environmental Health Division.

Stormwater

Stormwater can be defined as the water run-off. The Council maintains more than 4,000km of stormwater pipes in the city area. Invercargill and Bluff have urban stormwater systems which lie beneath the roads. At Makarewa, Myross Bush and other parts of Otatara properties are served predominately by a system of ditches for stormwater.

When it is not possible for a property to be connected to a public drain to discharge stormwater, the property owner may apply to the Council for consent to install their own channel connections.