Who is responsible for stormwater drains in your state?

Stormwater drains are one of the points of disagreement between a lot of people. Some people say that the local council should be responsible for them, and the local council says that the property owners should be responsible. However, there are rules and regulations on this, depending on which state you live in, so it’s important that you know who is legally responsible. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at who is responsible for stormwater drains in the different states, so keep reading if you would like to find out more.

What is stormwater?

Before anything else, you need to know what stormwater actually is. This is the water that is left behind after rain, snow, or hail has occurred. Stormwater drains exist so that this can be easily drained, reducing the risk of flooding and any other kind of negative impact. Stormwater can be a pollutant, which is why it is so essential that it is taken care of in the most effective way possible.

Who is responsible for stormwater drains in your State?

In the Australian Capital Territory, landowners are supposed to ensure that they have designed their properties so that they are safe from runoff. Roads ACT have the general responsibility of maintaining and monitoring the stormwater network as a whole.

The Western Australian government decided to hand all responsibility for this kind of thing to the local authorities. The main floodplains and water management plans come directly from the government themselves, but everything else is managed by the local authorities.

As a resident of New South Wales, you are pretty much responsible for anything on your property. However, you do have the option to pay a levy to the NSW local councils and then they will take care of issues that arise due to stormwater. They also take care of public spaces such as roads.

In Queensland, if it’s on your land, it’s your job to sort it. Any pipes, any drains, any pits or other components are all to be taken care of by you. The local council will sort everything else. 

If you live in the Northern Territory, local councils have the power to manage and maintain the stormwater drains connected to private properties. 

The way it works in South Australia is pretty much the same as in Queensland: if it’s on your property, it’s your job to fix it. If it’s not, then it’s the local council. 

If you live in Tasmania, then generally it is going to be your responsibility as the landowner to ensure that you are taking care of all of your pipes, drains, and anything else related to stormwater. The only time that this is not the case is if there is a mixture between the stormwater system and the sewerage as the responsibility then passes on to Tasmania’s water authority. 

If you live in Victoria, the landowner is responsible for their own pipes and drains and the council is responsible for the water between the discharge point, kerb and channel.

If you live in one of the territories that requires you to take care of your own stormwater drains, then you may need to get a professional plumber to help. It’s not always easy to take care and manage this kind of system effectively, but it can be done. The sooner you get help, the less risk your home is at.